LI BRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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A~ 









^ 



ADRIFT AND AT ANCHOR 



SAILOR'S EXPERIENCE 



AMONG 



SEA DOGS AND LAND SHAEES 



AN ACCOUNT or HIS CONYEESION 



LABOES AS A MISSION AEY AMONG SEAMEN, 



JULIUS L. ESPING. 



v/ ; 

bosto:n^, mass. 

PUBLISHED FOE THE AUTHOR 
H. L. HASTINGS, 19 LTNDALL STREET. 
18 70. 




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Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

Julius L. Espinq, 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



W. C. Cannon, Peintee, 
19 Lindall St., Boston. 



P B E F A C E 



The statements made in the following pages are not the idle 
dreams of some novel-writer's fancy, although they may seem 
more strange than many which are found in the tales of fiction. 
The object of the author has not bSen to produce a 'sensation 
story;' but to lay before the reader a plain record of some of 
the exciting scenes incident to a sailor's life, as they actually 
occurred; — and, moreover, to acknowledge the merciful dealings 
of a kind Providence, in leading him, when in the broad way to 
. destruction, to see himself as a lost sinner, and to lay hold upon 
the Hope set before him in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
And his prayer is that those who are yet without this Hope, 
upon reading this, the experience of one who had wandered far 
in the downward path, may be led to consider upon the error 
of their ways, and to turn unto Him who is able and willing to 
save ALL who call upon Him ; and that those who are laboring 
in the Master's service may be encouraged to more earnest 
efiforts, and that a deeper interest may be felt in the work of 
spreading the Gospel among sea-faring men. 



A SAILOR'S EXPERIENCE. 



CHAPTER I. 

My Boyhood — ^First Attempt at Navigation — Up Aloft — School Days 
—A "Confirmed" Sinner — Emigration to America — Carousal at 
New Orleans — ^Land sharks — Shipped — Havre de Grace — In the 
Hospital. 

Thinking that the somewhat remarkable 
experiences of a sailor's life, both upon the 
sea and land, may be of interest and per- 
haps of profit, especially to those *' who 
go down to the sea in ships, that do busi- 
ness in great waters," I have attempted, in 
the following pages, to relate in a plain 
and simple manner some of the incidents 
and experiences of a brief but eventful 
career. ^^^ 



8 A Sailor's Experience, 

Born on the ocean's shore, near Wester- 
yik, Sweden, in 1834, 1 had from childhood 
seen the noble ships riding the crest- 
ed wave, and watched the hardy sailor as 
he proudly unfurled his white canyass to 
the breeze, and with tear-bedimmed eye 
cast backward a long, lingering look at 
those so dear to his heart, to whom he had 
said perhaps his last ** good-bye,'' as the 
white-winged vessel bore him away to dis- 
tant lands and new adventures. It was 
not strange, therefore, that a sailor's life 
became my boyish ideal of happiness ; nor 
that, at the age of seven years, I was in- 
spired with the ambition of sometime be- 
ing the captain of a vessel and sailing around 
the world. 

With the enthusiasm of an old whaler, 
I determined, young as I was, to fit out a 
craft at once, and take a short voyage. 



A Sailor's Experience, 9 

Accordingly I procured two planks, and 
with the aid of a hammer and a few spikes 
succeeded in fastening them together. 
Then, obtaining a paddle, I took my seat 
upon the raft, and pushing off from the 
shore, was soon launched out upon the 
deep. Fortunately the sea was calm, and 
before I had got many fathoms from shore, 
the Yoice of my ever-watchful mother was 
ringing in my ear, calling me back. She 
had been observing my maritime move- 
ments, and did not approve of my mode of 
navigation ; so she gave me some good ad- 
vice, and no doubt saved me from a watery 
grave. 

Not many days after, as she was going 
by the shipping down the quay, how great 
was her surprise on looking up, to behold 
me at the main-mast head of one of the 
vessels, where I had climbed in my childish 



10 A Sailor's Experience, 

ambition to be a sailor. Of coui'se my 
mother was terribly alarmed at my perilous 
position, and almost fainted ; but recover- 
ing herself, she bade me, in a &m, yet gen- 
tle Toice, to come down. I obeyed, and 
reluctantly followed her home. 

My boyhood was not remarkable, saye, 
perhaps, for a willfulness of disposition, 
and an exceedingly impulsive and iri-eg- 
ular nature, which made me a somewhat 
troublesome subject of parental govern- 
ment. The Evil One had full possession 
of my heart, and led me on in the ways 
of sin and disobedience. 

At the age of twelve, the conversion of 
my parents afforded an additional influence 
in favor of a good early training. Would 
that I had yielded to their kind entreat- 
ies and instructions ! My dear mother 
wept over and prayed long and fervently 



A Sailor's Experience. 11 

for me and with me, that I might realize 
my situation ; but all in vain. 

My father sought, at considerable ex- 
pense, to secure for me a good practical 
education. But, like the wild ass's colt, I 
burst through all restraint, and at the ex- 
piration of a few weeks, broke away from 
my school and teacher, who seemed to me 
a hard master. The religious instruction 
which I had receiyed at school had a ten- 
dency to counteract rather than increase 
my faith in what was really essential to 
my future welfare. But at that age, (fif- 
teen years,) I did not think much on these 
important matters. After a few weeks had 
been idled away at home, my father one 
morning informed me that I must return 
to school. Everything being in readiness, 
I started again for scenes not at all agree- 
able to my taste. 



12 A Sailor's Experience. 

Before my departure, however, my father 
had a long and earnest conversation with 
me in reference to my present state and 
future prospect for heaven. I was very 
far from being a Christian. I had sinned, 
and felt sorry, and wept. But my sorrow 
was not for my sins ; it was only because I 
had been caught in the act of committing 
them. As I had been brought up and in- 
structed in the Lutheran faith, my father, 
supposing from apparent sorrow that I had 
truly repented, desired that I should receive 
" confirmation.'' This was granted, and I 
became a '* confirmed" — sinner. Yet the 
Scriptural lessons which by this early train- 
ing were impressed upon my youthful mind 
have often been recalled by the Spirit of 
God to lead me in the right way. Indeed, 
I was not insensible to them at the time 
when I was formally received into the 



A Sailor's Experience, 13 

cliurcli; but eyil impulses, being by far 
the strongest, drove me onward. Inward 
reproofs, struggles, and resolves, were suc- 
ceeded by recurring indulgence in sinful 
practices, until they were sweet to my 
taste. 

At the age of eighteen I emigrated with 
jny parents to America, who settled at Chi- 
cago. Glad to arrive in a country as broad 
as my evil inclinations, I soon left home, 
and with two reckless wanderers in the 
paths of sin, strayed south to New Orleans. 

Here I plunged into the society of the 
reckless and the vile, and under the besot- 
ting influence of intoxicating liquor fell a 
prey to the inhuman harpies who lie in 
wait to entrap the unwary, and if possible 
victimize the poor sailor. 

After a few days of profligate carousal 
in the haunts of dissipation and vice, I 



14 A Sailor's Experience. 

awoke from my stupefaction to find myself 
at sea, shipped as " an able seaman/' on 
board an American vessel bound to Havre 
de Grace, France, by my boarding-master, 
who had of course -pocketed my advanced 
wages of forty dollars. This is a sample 
of the treatment which the inexperienced 
and besotted receive at the hands of these 
unprincipled children of the Devil. 

Having been shipped as " an able sea- 
man," I was expected to perform a sea- 
man's duties ; and being entirely ignorant 
of those duties I looked for and received 
but little mercy or comfort on the voyage. 
I was the chief subject of discipline dur- 
ing the passage. At all times I seemed to 
be in the way, impeding the steps of cap- 
tain, mates, and sailors, wherever they went. 
No one took enough interest to teach me 
my duties, and I grew discouraged, and 



A Sailor's Experience. 15 

tired of trying to learn; for when I did 
try to do the best I knew how, I would be 
told, with a kick and a blow, that what I 
did was all wrong. Under such austere 
treatment, I gave way to grief, and before 
we reached port I was taken seriously ill. 
On our arrival at Hayre, I was sent to 
the hospital, where I lay for three weeks, 
to suffer the loneliness and monotony of 
hospital life, among entire strangers, in a 
foreign land. Did my thoughts reyert to 
home and mother, to her good counsels 
and prayers ? Did I think of the prodi- 
gal, and form resolutions of amendment ? 
Ask those who haye been in like circum- 
stances. But our ship being ready to sail, 
my hospital life came to an end, and, 
though still in poor health, I went on 
board, and weighing anchor, we steered our 
course for New York. 



16 A Sailor's Experience, 

The thought of being *' homeward 
bound," and the prospect of *' a good spree " 
on our arriyal, filled me with cheer. True, 
I thought sometimes, also, of returning to 
my parents, and forme.d resolutions to that 
efiect. But how frail are the strongest 
resolutions of the slaves of Rum and 
Rum's minions ! Haying at that age little 
ability to read character, I was unfortunate 
in the choice of my associates, and was 
often, by those who were older or more ex- 
perienced than myself, led to do things at 
which, uninfluenced, I should haye reyolted. 

Eyery sailor has his particular friend, 
and I had mine, — a shipmate haying large 
experience in the yices and dissipations of 
New York life. And I regret to say that 
I was highly pleased at haying a constant 
companion with tastes and dispositions so 
much like my own. 



CHAPTER II. 



Arrival at New York — Sailors' Boarding House — ^Driiik, Drink, 
Drunk — A "Whisky Speech — A ' Wee Drop ' More — New York by 
Gas-Light — The Dens of "Water Street — Taken to the Hospital — 
Another Carousal — Cruise on the Coast — On the Sound — ^Voyage 
to Eichmond — A Hard Crew — Homesick — Serious Keflections. 



On our arriyal at New York, after a 
'voyage of thirty-five days' duration, we 
were all paid off", and directed by an evil- 
looking, pock-marked *' runner," in the 
employ of the owners, to a sailors' board- 
ing-house. Here the boarding-master ex- 
tended a general invitation for **all lads" 
to ** come up and take a drink." This we 
all did with the greatest alacrity, as we did 
also of the proposal immediately after to 
'*tip one more" of the same. 

Drink followed drink, and drunk came 



18 A Sailor's Kxperience, 

at last. Under its fiery influence I was 
emboldened to make a speech ! I spoke 
of the effect of whisky, its delightful in- 
fluence upon the sailor, the bright thoughts 
it inspired; and with zealous energy I 
urged those about me never to refuse a 
'well-filled cup/ I had an audience as 
attentiye as poor rum could let them be, 
and was applauded as heartily at the close 
of my insane remarks as was ever any po- 
litical speaker. But from the height of 
my exhilaration, I sank suddenly into a 
state of stupefaction,^a mental and physi- 
cal imbecile of rum ; and the great orator 
of the day was carried insensible to his 
room. 

Evening came, and George C — , my 
friend and shipmate, awoke me in time for 
supper. On getting up I felt most miser- 
ably, and resolved to drink no more liquor 



A Sailor's Experience. 19 

that night. But some of the " boys " who 
heard my complaints insisted on my taking 
' a taste ' to * brace me up/ 

"Come," said George, "take a wee drop 
o' gin, Yulgarly called * cocktail,' an' we'll 
go an' see the sights o' New York this ere 
evenin'." 

What George said I generally obeyed, 
for he was my chosen leader, and under his 
direction and with his companionship I 
could haye been influenced to do almost 
anything. 

It pains me to look back, and take a 
Christian yiew of those unhappy days ; but 
God, in his great mercy, I trust has long 
since blotted out the dark sins of those eyil 
times. 

'Harry Hill' and 'Sandy Spencer' were 
at this time, I think, unknown characters 
either in the annals of crime or local 



20 A Sailor's Experience. 

history ; and ' the wickedest man in New 
York' had not yet become notorious in 
wickedness. But perhaps in my yisits to 
the vile dens of New York I found men 
equally as bad, if not worse. 

On one occasion, sauntering down Wa- 
ter Street with my friend George, stop- 
ping here and there, as fancy prompted, to 
enjoy the society of the depraved and lewd 
women who lounged in filthy bar-rooms 
and grog-shops, I was seized with a kind 
of faintness, and for a short time was com- 
pletely deranged. The miserable rum and 
gin had nearly consummated their work. 
A few more potations of the poisonous 
compound would no doubt have deprived 
me of life. But having a powerful consti- 
tution and strong nerve, I recovered in a 
few moments sufficiently to ask to be con- 
veyed to the hospital. I was taken charge 



A Sailor's Experience, 21 

of by some benevolent persons, and sent to 
the Seamen's Hospital on Staten Island. 
My diagnosis indicated a bilious disorder, 
with which I was confined to my bed for 
six weeks, at the end of which time I re- 
turned to New York and stopped at a 
boarding-house, the proprietor of which 
was a good Christian man. But not wish- 
ing to be under Christian influence, much 
less to be admonished of the importance 
and obligations of religion, I once more 
gave way to drink, and continued in a 
course of disgraceful revelry until my means 
were exhausted. 

After two weeks' carousal, I shipped on 
board a schooner, and sailed on the coast 
for two months ; after which I returned to 
New York, and resorted to my old scenes 
of pleasure. The first thing was drink 
and then another carouse ; and such, dear 



22 A Sailor's Experience. 

reader, is the miserable life of many a no- 
ble-hearted man, who is an enemy to no 
one so much as to himself. 

I remained in the city three weeks, 
keeping meanwhile a yigilant watch for 
a chance to ship, and at length had an 
opportunity to make a trip to Fall River 
on a Sound steamer. I accepted the offer, 
and on our return to New York was paid 
off and discharged. 

I had lost my friend George, he haying 
shipped for some European port while I 
was up the Sound, and was much disap- 
pointed at not meeting him, for I had now 
no intimate friend to talk and drink with. 
As I was alone, and in a comparatively 
sober state, I felt sad, gloomy, and home- 
sick ; thought of father, mother, brothers 
and sisters, and wondered jf they knew 
my whereabouts; reflected on my own 



A Sailor's Experieiice, 23 

depravity and reckless life, and felt almost 
constrained to do better, for I knew of the 
earnest desires of friends at home for my 
welfare, and that prayers were daily ascend- 
ing to Heaven for my deliverance. But 
my mind was in that morbid and excited 
condition produced by liquor, in which I 
too often formed resolutions and made vows 
only to be broken as before by resistless 
appetite. 

While in this desponding mood, I made 
the acquaintance of Jack H — , a mate on 
board a packet-ship running between New 
York and Richmond, Va. During our 
friendly intercourse I applied for a sea- 
man's berth on board his ship, which he 
kindly gave me. The day following, hav- 
ing loaded our craft, we hauled out into 
the stream and were shortly favored with 
a stiff breeze which bore us rapidly down 



24 A Sailor's Experience. 

the riyer, and out on the broad Atlantic. 
I felt happy. I had drank no liquor for 
seyeral days, and enjoyed a better appetite 
than I had for a long time. In a few 
hours we were out of sight of laud, but 
an unfavorable breeze impeded our prog- 
ress. As I was sitting foward on the ves- 
sel's railing, meditating on my far-off home, 
—thinking perhaps I might not live to see 
it again,— I began to realize what a sweet 
thing it is to be blessed with powers of 
mind and memory, that one can commune 
with his own spirit while thinking of days 

gone by. 

While in this mournful reverie, my 
icy heart was almost melted with sorrow, 
—my thoughts of vice and recklessness 
had for the time vanished, and I was 
thinking of better things. Was it the 
Spirit of God knocking at the door of a 



A Sailor's Experience. 25 

rebellious heart, or was it the Evil One 
tantalizing me with the prospect of joys 
w^hich I was never to taste ? No doubt 
it was the Holy Spirit striving for an en- 
trance. But my heart was yet too cold 
and unfeeling, and entrance was denied. 

We had not the most amiable set of 
men in the world for a crew. The sever- 
est discipline was necessary to preserve 
good order on board, as most of the sea- 
men were New York ruffians, — uneducated 
and vicious,— whose aspirations soared no 
higher than the prize-ring or cock-pit ; who 
gloried in robbing or pillage, and who would 
sacrifice the last thread of clothing for a 
glass of grog, — -these men were my asso- 
ciates, whom I did not blush to recognize 
as friends. With such a reckless and blood- 
thirsty crew, a bold privateer would have 
met with very little trouble in destroying 



26 A Sailor's Experience. 

numbers of the ocean's merchantmen. — 
Arriying at Richmond, my thirst for 
liquor was strong as oyer, and soon I was 
under its fiery influence. The cargo of our 
yessel was discharged, and shortly reload- 
ing we sailed again for New York. 



CHAPTER III. 



Murmurs of Mutiny—In Liquor — Insult — Insubordination — ^Beaten 
— In Irons — Eelease — In Port — Discharged — A Bar-Eoom Scene 
— Drunk. 



Three days from port, and whispers of 
mutiny were heard now and then among 
the ruffianly crew, until at length they 
reached the captain's ear. Having provid- 
ed myself with a flask of rum while on 
shore, I was still in a drunken condition ; 
and on hearing of this the captain sent 
the first mate to summon me to his cabin. 
I was lying in my bunk nearly asleep, 
when I was aroused by a curse and severe 
kick from that officer, who ordered me to 
get up and go to the captain's quarters. 



28 A Sailor's Experience. 

I was about to obey his insolent com- 
mand, when he applied to me a filthy 
epithet, insulting both to me and my family 
antecedents, which he had no sooner utter- 
ed than I gave him a blow between the eyes, 
suflGlcient to demonstrate to him that 1 did 
not appreciate that style of language. 

My visionary thoughts of the future 
were quickly dispelled : for I was set upon 
by the mate and a few subordinates, and 
nearly beaten to death. As I was suspect- 
ed of being the ring-leader of the proposed 
mutiny, I had no chance to say a word in 
my defence. The captain threatened to 
hang me at the yard-arm, while the mate 
threatened to shoot me. "What are all 
these threats for ?''I inquired of myself. 

I concluded that it was because I had 
struck the mate for his insulting language 
to me, for I was totally ignorant of any 



A Sailor's Experience. 29 

intention of mutiny on the part of the 
crew. I was however placed in irons and 
kept confined until we were within a few 
hours of New York, when the captain came 
to me and said : — 

'' Esping, I believe you are innocent as 
regards your intention to incite mutiny on 
board ; nevertheless, you committed a crime 
in striking our second officer. If you will 
promise now to deport yourself in a becom- 
ing manner during the remainder of the 
passage, I will release you. But if you act 
contrary I will hand you over to the au- 
thorities on our arrival in port." 

I told him my story, and informed him 
of the filthy and insulting provocation of 
the mate. He eyed me for a moment, then 
taking the key from his pocket, unlocked 
my hand-cuffs and bade me go to the 
forecastle, which I did with a light heart. 



30 A Sailor's Experience. 

Nothing more occurred of a disagreeable 
nature during the remainder of our passage. 
We arrived in New York the next morn- 
ing. It took two days to unload our cargo, 
after which I received my wages and a dis- 
charge from the captain, which I accepted 
with a low bow and a very polite ' Thank 
you sir,' which seemed to excite the ire of 
of that individual, on observing which I 
hastily left the ship. With what money I 
had in my possession, I was enabled to re- 
tire in good order, as they say in military 
parlance, to the boarding-house. 

It is unnecessary to say that I had a 
hearty reception. Napoleon himself could 
hardly have been more welcome. I look- 
ed around the room, and deliberately view- 
ed each individual present. Some faces 
were familiar ; and others would have been 
only for the ravages of time and dissipation. 



A Sailor *s Experience. 31 

Many were engaged in low, disgusting 
conversation, some were smoking, others 
drinking, aod quite a number were having 
a general brawl. Casting a glance at the 
bar, it appeared to me that it had passed a 
horrid night ; tumblers were unwashed, 
bottles tipped on their sides, matches 
strewn carelessly upon the counter and 
floor ; spitoons turned over, and quantities 
of tobacco-quids and cigar-stumps scattered 
all around, creating an odor which was fair- 
ly sickening. I had become so accustomed 
to such scenes that I viewed with apparent 
indifference the spectacle before me, and I 
considered it as a necessary evil which the 
sailor has a right to enjoy. — When will the 
poor sailor reflect upon the follies and sins 
of such places as this den of iniquity ! 

With the miseries and ruinous conse- 
quences of intemperance before my eyes. 



32 A Sailor* s Experieiice. 

in this dark and dingy bar-room, instead of 
retreating to the street, I advanced to the 
bar, and calling for a glass of gin, drank it 
with my usual gust and hilarity of spirit. 
It soon had its desired effect ; another and 
another draught followed, until at last, I 
became stupefied. I retired to bed, to sleep 
it off and awake to repeat the same thing 
the next day. For two weeks I continu- 
ed my drinking revelry, until my means 
were gone, and I was compelled to go 
again to sea. In a day or two, when sober, 
I found a ship, and was quartered as an 
able seaman on board the Heros, belonging 
to a wealthy firm of cotton-dealers in New 
York, having agents in Savannah, to which 
latter place we were bound. 



CHAPTER IV. 



From New York to Savannah — At the Helm — A Motley Crew — The 
"Sea-Lawyer"— The Mischief Maker— The Whisky Bottle— The 
Persecuted German and Quarrelsome Irishman — Eeach Savannah. 



On accepting my new situation I learned 
that the crew in the forecastle numbered 
eleyen men, of whom but two, another 
young man and myself, understood steer- 
ing : therefore upon us deyolved double 
duty, for, being the only helmsmen on 
board, we were expected to be on duty at 
the wheel every four hours, each perform- 
ing twelve hours' daily labor. 

The morning we left New York was 
beautiful, — the sun shone brightly, and 
the weather was mild and warm. As I 



34 A Sailor's Experience, 

stood at the wheel and steered the ves- 
sel among the many anchored and moying 
ships and boats, all nature seemed to smile. 
When we had cleared the shipping and 
were making for the open sea, I turned par- 
tially round, and took a view of that city 
which was fast disappearing, and where I 
had squandered so many dollars in reckless 
dissipation. A feeling of regret passed 
through my mind, to think of my folly : 
but when I thought of the ''good times" 
(though in reality eyil times) I had en- 
joyed, my remorse quickly vanished, and I 
only lamented that I had not the means to 
return to them again. Sin had obtained 
too firm a hold upon my mind to allow se- 
rious regrets or thoughts of amendment 
a permament place ; and my evil inclina- 
tions soon took the place of sorrow for the 
past or desires to reform. 



A Sailor's Experience, 35 

When relieved from duty, I went for- 
ward to the forecastle to see the motley 
crew assembled there, thinking possibly I 
might come across some old *'tar" of for- 
mer acquaintance. But no familiar face 
was there. The crew were strangely diyers- 
ified. Out of eleven sailors there were two 
Americans, two Irishmen, one Spaniard, 
one Frenchman, one Swede, one German, 
one Portuguese, one Englishman, and one 
Italian. Here were nine different tongues 
and nationalities represented ; consequently 
a free and easy discussion on any topic, 
even the most insignificant, was an impossi- 
bility. Those that were not engaged in con- 
versation would sit and watch those that 
were talking, and should the latter happen 
to glance suspiciously or smile at their 
stranger shipmate, he would mistrust that 
lie was being ridiculed, and frequently, 



36 A Sailor's Experience, 

owing to misunderstandings which could 
not be explained, a conflict Avould ensue. 
I think the best behayed man among 
us was the German. He was no wrangler 
or fighter, and blood was as offensiye to him 
as rum is to me at the present day. But 
the poor fellow was compelled to suffer a 
great deal of persecution. What work he 
accomplished was attended with great fa- 
tigue, as he was not^ strong, and was hard 
to comprehend what was required of him. 
All of the crew had been before the mast 
before, but knew nothing of 'sailoring' 
with the exception of one other and my- 
self who did the steering. But the Ger- 
man knew nothing of a seafaring life, and 
consequently did double service, laboring 
under fear of his blood being shed by one 
of the Irishmen if Jie did not perform his 
duty. 



A Sailor's Experience, 37 

There is generally a "bully'* in a ship's 
crew, who is expected to do the talking to 
the officers of the ship in reference to refus- 
al to do duty, or in case of mutiny, fight- 
ing, settling disputes, etc. A fighter or first 
class ruffian usually is chosen to fill that dig- 
nified position and is known among the sail- 
ors as the ''sea-lawyer." Our younger 
Irishman Avas elected as " solicitor in chan- 
cery," duly acknowledging the importance 
of the selection by tendering to his broth- 
er countryman a genuine courtesy, after 
which he indulged in remarks in substance 
as follows : — 

" My friends of the ocean : It behooTCs 
me to thank you, as a stranger, for tender- 
ing to me the office of * sea-lawyer.' My 
ability to defend our cause, whatever those 
tribulations may be, mentally, may, or may 
not prove a failure ; but if physical powers 



38 A Sailor's Experience. 

should be called into action, you have 
a man in the right place, as well as one 
that will not disgrace himself by suffering 
an adversary to draAV the first blood! Thank- 
ing you for the interest manifested in my 
behalf, as well as the judicial discretion dis- 
played in your selection, I am gentlemen, 
your very obedient servant, Paul OTla- 
HERTY, S. L.'* 

This harangue was received with vocif- 
erous cheering by the crew. To their minds 
evidently they had selected a brave and nice 
man for a leader. OTlaherty felt that he 
was exhalted to the highest pinnacle of 
fame, which having reached so unexpected- 
ly, he was much affected. He knew not 
but this step was the beginning of a mighty 
destiny. 

Perhaps I was possessed at that moment 
with as much devilishness as my nature has 



A Sailor *s Experience. 39 

eyer afforded me since ; and during the ad- 
di^ess I was mentally contriying some way 
by which I might stay the hilarity and as- 
piring spirit of the Irishman who had so 
soon gained the good will and high position 
among the crew. Accordingly I produced 
a bottle of whisky from beneath my jack- 
et, and after imbibing a good draught pass- 
ed it to the sea-lawyer, (as such I shall 
now continue to call him,) to do likewise. 
After partaking, he passed it to his near- 
est neighbor, and thus it changed hands all 
around. It seemed to require but a small 
quantity of liquor to craze the ** mighty 
man of the deep ; " and soon his pugilistic 
propensities were made manifest. The 
watchful German, to whom human blood 
was so precious, and yet so offensiye to his 
sight, soon obseryed this weakness of the 
lawyer's mental powers, and considering 



40 A Sailor's Experience, 

himself an Irishman's enemy, most deeply 
did he lament the transformation, and anx- 
iously observed the lawyer's movements, 
who was looking as ferocious as a Bengal 
tiger. On seeing the stoic glare of the 
German's eye, he inquired: 

'^Dutchman, what the d- — 1 are you star- 
ing at me for ? " 

*' I no look at you sir ! " was the reply, 

*' You are a liar and a coward," said the 
lawyer. 

''You bish a shentleman," retorted the 
German. 

" Don't call me a fool ! " said the lawyer, 
who desired to continue the brawl. 

"Me no call you von fool, you bish yon 
cood man," replied the German. 

" Now you did call me a fool," said the 
lawyer, " and I am going to make you con- 
fess it ; " advancing toward his fancied foe. 



A Sailor's Experience, 41 

Upon this the German begged for mer- 
cy ; and thinking there was none, commenc- 
ed screaming ''Murder! Murder! Help! 
Captain ! " etc. 

The second mate, on watch, heard the 
cries of the German, and followed by the 
captain, rushed down to the forecastle. 
The sea-lawyer had struck the German 
one blow, causing the blood to run freely, 
giving the man the appearance of haying 
struggled with a murderer ; although it is 
not likely the Irishman intended to do him 
severe injury. The mate, noticing the at- 
titude of the lawyer, and conjecturing that 
he was the sole cause of the mischief, 
dealt him a severe blow, and before he had 
recovered from the shock, the captain had 
placed a pair of iron wristlets on his arms. 
Thus it was that this official was subdued. 
From that moment he fell from his highly 



42 A Sailor's Experience. 

exalted position, and they no longer idol- 
ized his ruffianism. The poor fellow who 
had suffered a martyr's anguish on more 
than one occasion, could not help but re- 
joice at his downfall. After being confined 
for a few hours, the lawyer was liberated on 
condition of better conduct in future. On 
his return to the forecastle he manifested 
a willingness to ask the forgiveness of the 
German, which was fully granted, for he 
was only too glad to form a lasting recon- 
ciliation. 

I thought of the recent disturbance on 
board, as I again took my watch at the 
wheel; and I felt hurt to think that I 
should glory in such base and degrading 
schemes to accomplish the misery of oth- 
ers ; and thought to myself, — " Will there 
eyer be an end to this wickedness ? Yes, 
certainly ; but when, and how ? " And here 



A Sailor 's Experience, 43 

the matter rested, soon to be forgotten. 

Nothing more of unusual interest pass- 
ed during the remainder of our voyage. 
I was beginning to tire of my duty, for I 
considered that too much labor without pay 
would but ill requite me for what I had al- 
ready undergone ; and I determined to 
leaye the ship at the earliest fayorable op- 
portunity. 

The weather continued pretty fair, and 
we were sailing at good speed, the captain 
favoring the ship's course all he could, 
while I took every advantage at the helm 
to urge her forward ; the captain desiring 
to make the round trip if possible in sixty 
days. Both the young man who relieved 
me at the wheel and myself were heartily 
sick of our bargain in shipping in unfavor- 
able circumstances ; but the die was cast, 
and we could only make the best of it. 



44 A Sailor's Experience. 

Nevertheless we agreed to leave the ship 
on our arrival in port. Days and weeks 
dragged wearily along, until we could see 
the broad rice-fields covered with slaves 
reaping the harvest for their cruel masters ; 
and with these sights of human misery be- 
fore us, our time passed more rapidly ; and 
as our faith in nearing port became strong- 
er, and the thoughts of a good spree more 
deeply impressed upon our minds, our toils 
became less wearisome, and we were com- 
paratively happy. 

At last the day came when our expec- 
tations were to be realized. We were 
within a few miles of Savannah. All the 
sailors were busy in packing their several 
chests, while the duty of steering the ves- 
sel up the river devolved upon me. Soon 
the tall spires of the churches were visible, 
and we were gliding under the pressure of 



A Sailor *s Experience. 45 

a light breeze, safely into the harbor of Sa- 
vannah. Cheer after cheer rent the air as 
we let go the anchor ; and then commenced 
a general rush for the captain's cabin for 
permission to go on shore. It being Sab- 
bath morning, their requests were compli- 
ed with, and all left the ship but the first 
and second mate, who remained on board 
until the return of the crew the following 
morning. 



CHAP TEE Y. 

My Sojourn in Savannah — Leave my Ship— Dissipation — Imprison- 
ment — Lose my Clothes, — etc. 

Early monday morning the entire crew 
reported to the captain of the Heros for 
duty. We had not long to wait ; the hatch- 
es were unbarred, tackling adjusted, some 
of the men were sent below, others were 
stationed here and there, until all were ar- 
ranged in ship order for the unloading of 
the Ycssel. The captain was for once in a 
good humor, as our passage had been made 
in four days less time than his preyious one. 
He praised his men to the agents, and com- 
plimented them by saying *' If they were 
not fools they might haye been smart men." 
Some took the remark as complimentary, 



A Sailor *s Experience. 47 

but I was not much pleased with it ; how- 
ever, I said nothing. After treating all 
hands to their grog, the captain gave orders 
and the work of unloading commenced. 
We worked about thirteen hours per day 
for three days, at the end of which the car- 
go was all taken out, and the entire crew 
deserted the ship. 

The city of Savannah, like all other 
cities, has its evil influences ; and those 
who are passionately fond of vice and full 
of evil inclinations can find for a time in 
city dissipation a kind of solace for a 
troubled spirit ; but in the end it proves a 
poor consoler, and ends in disgrace if not 
ruin. My sojourn in Savannah was of 
short duration, being, I think, some twen- 
ty-three days. I kept my promise, and 
left the ship, and she returned to New 
York, 



48 A Sailor's Experience. 

The first night that I went on shore, 
after taking my clothes to a sailor's board- 
ing-house, in company with several others, 
I started out, sailor-fashion, one behind 
another, to see the sights and scenes so ex- 
citing to a sailor's curiosity. 

We had not gone far when one of our 
number invited the company into a rum- 
hole to have a drink. To have refused 
would have been an insult to the sailor, if 
not to the liquor, consequently, every one 
imbibed ; nor did it stop here ; Ave drank 
again, and kept repeating the dose until a 
pair of spectacles would have done am- 
ple service in assisting to find the rum -bot- 
tle. The polite bar-keeper, being a lady 
of complacent virtue, proved to be very 
interesting to her guests. We were being 
entertained at no inconsiderable expense ; 
the lady presiding over both liquor and 



A Sailor 's Experience. 49 

men, and being kind and generous eyen 
to a fault, how could it well be otherwise ! 

One hour was passed in this degrading 
den of vice, where we squandered nearly 
eyery dollar in our possession ; and anoth- 
er hour spent in the same manner in a 
worse place next door, left us completely 
destitute of funds ; and two of our party 
had been arrested for disorderly conduct 
and marched off to the calaboose by a po- 
liceman. After our money was gone we 
were told to make ourselyes scarce, which 
we did, after upsetting the card-table and 
knocking down the stove-pipe. The pro- 
prietress yelled in vain for a policeman, 
for none appeared upon the scene before 
we had taken our hasty departure. 

It is a regular custom among sailors to 
labor hard on a vessel at sea for months at 
a time, and the very first night on shore 



50 A Sailor's Experience. 

make way with all their earnings. I did 
not stop to reflect while money was plen- 
ty ; but now that I was partially sobered 
by coming in contact with the open air, 
I came to the conciousness of an empty 
pocket-book, miserable headache, and a 
night of general wretchedness. I return- 
ed to my boarding-house, (fortunate in 
having one,) and well I might, for my port- 
monnaie could afford me no more amuse- 
ment that night. The following morning 
I was awakened from a sound sleep and or- 
dered to arrange my toilet as quickly as I 
could " splice the main brace." On open- 
ing my eyes I beheld a policeman bending 
over me. The operations of the past night 
darted through my mind in an instant. 

''What do you want of me?" I asked. 

*' To get up and go with me," said the 
official. 



A Sailor *s Experience. 51 

'' Where ? '' I inquired. 

** To the station-house, of course/' he 
replied. 

** But, Mr. Policeman, I have done noth- 
ing that should warrant my arrest ! " I 
said, in an appealing manner. 

*' I know you have not, my dear fellow, 
but you are required as a witness for some 
of your shipmates/' replied the officer. 

"Oh, yes, yes, yes," said one of the 
gang of the night previous, in an adjoin- 
ing bedstead, "I do remember something 
about that fracas last night ! " 

'* Manifest it then, by showing yourself 
at once ! " said the policeman, showing his 
club ! 

'' Oh, yes sir ! yes sir ! I shall tell you all 
about it," said the sailor, getting out of 
bed. 

*'It is not necessary that you should 



52 A Sailor's Experience. 

tell me anything, " said the officer, for I 
do not wish to be implicated in the matter 
at all ; therefore you can reserye your state- 
ment for the justice's ear, who will no 
doubt appreciate it more than I would. 
You will both do me a great favor to dress 
as soon as possible/' 

I felt very nervous, for I hardly remem- 
bered anything that had transpired the 
night before ; I had but a vague recollec- 
tion of an arrest, and the place where it oc- 
curred. After adjusting our clothing, we 
followed the policeman into the street, and 
from thence to the justice's court. In the 
prisoners' dock sat our two shipmates who 
were arrested the night before. They bore 
the appearance of having passed a misera- 
ble night of drunken stupor. I watched 
them earnestly. Their countenances be- 
trayed sorrow and humiliation within. 



A Sailor's Experience, 53 

How my miserable heart yearned for those 
companions ! and as I pictured in my mind 
their homes, their kind sisters and gentle 
mothers, and their anxiety and prayers for 
their welfare, the scalding tears coursed 
down my cheeks for the first time for many 
a year. 

The two prisoners were charged with 
having struck the officer who arrested" 
them. My shipmate and myself were sum- 
moned as witnesses for the prosecution. 
I testified to the effect that I saw the ar- 
rest of the prisoners, by a policeman, but 
should not know the officer if I should see 
him; that the prisoners were very noisy, 
being under the influence of liquor ; but 
in my presence neither of them struck nor 
made any attempt to strike any person; 
and that they were when sober, good, hon- 
est, hard-working men. The justice did 



54 A Sailor's Experience. 

not allow me to finish my statement, nei- 
ther did he think it essential for the pros- 
ecution, to have the other witness, my 
shipmate, examined. 

The oificer was then called to testify. 
He said that he made the arrest after con- 
siderable difficulty ; that he was ridiculed 
and blackguarded by the prisoners in a 
most insulting manner ; that he received 
seyeral severe blows on his head, but did 
not show them to the court ; and that one 
of the prisoners threatened to shoot him, 
but of this he would not prefer any charge ; 
he only desired that justice should be man- 
ifested to him in the same impartial spirit 
that would be extended to the prisoners, 
etc, etc. 

The court, after listening to the elo- 
quence of the policeman, could defer sen- 
tence no longer. The prisoners were told 



A Sailor's Expei^ience, 55 

to *' stand up," in a very pompous tone 
of Toice, by the judge, who re-read their 
charge, made refei^ence to a specification of 
law which apphed to said charge, and final- 
ly ended the mock trial by sentencing the 
prisoners to ten days hard labor in the city 
jail. 

Not expecting to see the prisoners again, 
we took leave of them with a hearty shake 
of the hand, and bade them cheer up as the 
time would soon pass away, although we 
well knew that they felt the injustice of 
the sentence. The judge granted us per- 
mission to leaye the court, and we returned 
to our boarding-house, where we found a 
good, warm, if not luxurious breakfast 
awaiting our return. The landlord was ex- 
tremely kind this morning, and made par- 
ticular enquiries after our shipmates who 
had been sentenced to prison. He treated 



56 A Sailor's Experie?ice. 

us all, four or five in number, to a glass of 
liquor and a cigar. We began to congrat- 
ulate ourselves on our good fortune in find- 
ing so good a boarding-master. He fur- 
nished us papers to read, such as *' The 
Sporting Times, '* and '' Police News," af- 
fording us an opportunity to read and dis- 
cuss the manly operations of the "last 
champion prize-fighter ; " accommodated us 
with cards, dominoes, chess, and checkers, 
with an addition of pipes and tobacco, and 
before leaving the bar-room, notified one 
and all to go behind the bar and get a 
drink when we felt like enjoying one ! 
What more could we sailors desire ! 

One old sailor remarked, after going be- 
hind the bar and taking '' a nip,'' that *' it 
was a long road that had no turn : " and 
his saying was soon verified. Our board- 
ing-master had been absent an hour or 



A Sailor's Experience. 57 

more, attending to his marketing, as we 
supposed, when, to our great surprise, he 
entered with four stalwart policemen. Up 
to this time no presentiment of trouble had 
entered our profligate and sinful minds. 
We were living only in the enjoyment of 
the present hour— but as our old shipmate 
had predicted, there was soon to be a 
change for the better or worse ; and we 
now saw that the time for the change had 
come. The sergeant of the squad of po- 
lice immediately proceeded to enlighten us 
as to the object of their yisit. 

" I have come here," said he, '' at the in- 
stigation of your boarding-master, to take 
charge of you until he is able to find a ship 
in which you can sign articles as able sea- 
men. He has expressed himself as feeling 
very sorry to be compelled to resort to 
so cruel a stratagem ; but he has been 



58 A Sailor's Experience. 

informed by reliable authority that your 
intentions were to ship without his knowl* 
edge, and to leaye your bills with him un 
paid ; therefore he feels, and is justified 11 
detaining you in safety in order to get youi- 
advance, and cancel your debts due, in hon- 
or to himself ! " 

We could say nothing — all alike were 
amazed. We had all passed through more 
or less misery, and suffered poyerty and 
wretchedness ; had beheld scenes of blood 
and terror ; but yet in bitter anguish did 
we lament th© affliction now in store for 
us. 

On motion from the sergeant to follow 
him, we all reluctantly obeyed. He led 
us to the street, where we were arranged 
so that two officers were in advance, while 
the other two walked in the rear, thus 
forming a complete guard. Before we 



A Sailor's Experience, 59 

started, however, the boarclmg-master's 
wife came to the door and promised she 
would send us some extra food every morn- 
ing, to the prison. To this manifestation 
of feeling on her part no response was 
made, for we well knew she was directed 
to act thus by her husband. With the air 
of an insulted lady she slammed the door 
in our faces and retired from view, this be- 
ing the last opportunity ever afforded us 
of beholding that benevolent personage. 
Our route to the prison lay through a 
portion of the city that was but little trav- 
ersed ; we therefore escaped the scrutiniz- 
ing gaze of the fashionable who thronged 
the more prominent streets up town. We 
felt grateful even for this. The knowledge 
of our miserable condition was enough of 
itself to cause us extreme pain and morti- 
fication, without the addition of staring 



60 A Sailor's Experience. 

eyes from tlie curious, and speech-making 
from critics. 

The prison was at last reached. Any 
one that had never seen a prison before 
would conclude that this was a building 
designed for that purpose. The gloomy 
edifice, the massy iron doors, the barred 
windows, the high, cemented walls, the 
stone entrance, the harsh yoices from with- 
in, and the huge keys, were quite sufiicient 
to fiU me with horror. Did I think of 
home and friends ? Did I think of the 
past? I dared not. I was anxious to 
press forward and learn, the full extent of 
my future misery. 

We were conducted by a turnkey to a 
small apartment, which we entered. The 
door was locked, and we were left to med- 
itate upon our misfortunes. But a few 
minutes had elapsed when the turnkey 



A Sailor's Experience. 61 

returned, and bidding us follow him, he led 
us through a dark, narrow passage, lighted 
by a small oil lamp, until we reached a 
huge iron door. This he unlocked; and 
as he swung it open on its rusty hinges, 
daylight once more greeted the eye, and re- 
minded one for the moment, of the out- 
er world. This was the entrance to a 
court where the prisoners were allowed to 
amuse themselves, if possible, during the 
day ; and here we were left by the turnkey 
in social companionship with at least one 
hundred and fifty prisoners. The two sail- 
ors who were confined for disorderly con- 
duct come forward from among the * lost 
tribe ' and made us welcome. They sym- 
pathized with us in our misfortunes, but to 
aid us was not in their power. 

I wandered away by myself, and find- 
ing a seat I endeavored to collect my 



\ 



62 A Sailor's Experience, 

scattered thoughts ; but when I reflected on 
the misery and disgrace attached to a fel- 
on's life, I rejoiced ; for I could say in all 
sincerity of heart that I did not enter that 
institution of punishment for yiolating any 
of the laws of man. No, indeed ! I was 
not placed there for crime, but rather by 
the evil instigation of a worldly man ; one 
whose miserly cowardice had debased all 
his generous attributes ; and one whose 
passion for money oyer-ruled every noble 
principle. 

The interior of the prison at that time 
would remind one of the old Bastiles w^e 
have read of in ancient history. The cells 
were aU. arched in half-circles, being built 
of massive granite stone, having a dark, 
cavern-like aspect, with large rusty iron 
doors, whose hinges creaked and grated 
with a dismal sepulchral sound. The floors 



A Sailor's Experience, 63 

of the cells were of large square stone, firm- 
ly cemented together, while in the court, 
brick were used, giving it a neater aspect. 
Each day these floors were the recipients 
of more or less tobacco-juice ; consequent- 
ly they required a good scrubbing the first 
thing every morning. This duty devolved 
upon those who inhabited the various cells, 
each cell's crew doing the work for their 
own company. By so doing, there was 
more or less filth removed, and the obnox- 
ious atmosphere became less stagnant. 

I might say that there were two sepa- 
rate prisons under the same board of man- 
agement ; the one to which I have alluded, 
and another, known as " The Slave Pen.'' 
I could never have believed, that, in a 
Christian land like ours, suffering humani- 
ty could have been made the subject of 
such cruelty as was there practiced, had I 



64 A Sailor's Experience. 

not been an eye-witness of tlie following 
horrible outrage : — 

On her bended knees was a bright, in- 
telligent-looking colored girl — a slave — 
begging of a monster clothed in the garb 
of a man, to haye mercy and spare her 
from the lash. Her attitude and pleadings 
should have been sufficient to melt the 
heart of the lion before her, but pity lay 
dormant in his icy heart. It was a heart- 
rending scene — the lashing of that girl, 
only thirteen years of age, for the mere of- 
fence of boxing the ears of a slave -girl 
nearly twice her size and weight ! But 
there was no mercy ; her pleadings were all 
in yain ; she was ordered to bare her shoul- 
ders to the slaye-killer, and was whipped 
by him until the blood trickled down into 
her shoes. Up to the present time I had 
endeavored to look upon my prison-life 



« I 



A Sailor's Experience. 65 

with indifference ; but my feelings on wit- 
nessing such a scene of degrading cruelty 
were more than I could endure, and with 
bitter anguish I burst into tears. 

Night came, and with it the huge keys. 
The prisoners all retired to their cells, we 
being conducted by one of the jailers. 
The rusty door was slammed to, locked 
and barred, and we were left to reflect on 
the first day's initiation to prison-life. 

As talking to a prisoner in an adjoining 
cell was strictly forbidden, we had to con- 
fine our conyersation within the limits of 
our own walls. There were those, howey- 
er who did not always adhere to the prison 
regulations ; but if they were detected in 
disobeying them, they generally had to suf- 
fer accordingly. 

The time dragged wearily by, until near- 
ly three weeks had passed in this dreary 



66 A Sailor's Experience, 

and monotonous life. The boarding-mas- 
ter's wife never fulfilled her cliaritable 
promise in regard to sending us proyisions, 
nor even brought us a change of clothing, 
of which we had a plenty in our trunks at 
her house ; had she shown us the latter fa- 
vor we should ever have remained grateful. 

We were truly in a starving condition ; 
being comjieiled to live upon hominy and 
water, during our stay ; and having no 
change of clothing we were nearly eaten 
up with vermin, of which the prison 
seemed to have its full share. 

While indulging in the hopes of mental 
and physical relief, it came at last in shape 
of a proposition from a shipping-master to 
sign articles for a voyage to Liverpool in an 
English ship ! 

The alternative being safe keeping in 
jail, where we had had ample time to judge 



A Sailor's Experience. 67 

of its hospitality, or to ship and gain our 
freedom, our decision was yery quickly 
made ; so two beside myself were selected 
for the voyage. We were immediately re- 
leased, and escorted to the ship by a guard 
of policemen, I never knew what became 
of our four shipmates that we left in pris- 
on ; but I trust they are, if living, leading 
better lives. 

When once on board our ship I found 
my chest, and, as I might naturally sup- 
pose, empty ; its contents and my advance 
having been appropriated by my very en- 
tertaining boarding-master ; and added to 
this, as a result of my faithful service of 
sin and Satan, I must now cross the Atlan- 
tic without a change of clothing — compell- 
ed to go aloft to take in sail, with only a 
thin cotton shirt, and pants not much 
thicker, and this too, amid the merciless 



68 A Sailor's Experience. 

winds of mid-winter. This was hardly 
prefemble, on realization, to safe keeping 
in the old jail at Sayannah, — but I had 
chosen. 

After a passage of sixty days we anived 
at Liverpool ; and although the bitter ex- 
periences of the past were fresh in my 
mind, I planned for more of the same sort 
while here, by returning to the old scenes 
characterized by rum and ruin. In this 
city I barely escaped a fearful death, to 
which I exposed myself by foolishly at- 
tempting to jump on board an American 
ship which was ready to dock ! The wind 
blowing a heayy gale, I lost my balance, 
and fell between quay and ship, but for- 
tunately escaped the terrible end my folly 
inyited. 



{ 



CHAPTER TI. 

Voyage to Bonny Eiver, Africa-Sun-stroke-BHndness-Eetm-n to 
Liverpool-Starvation-Ee-ship for New York-Death on Board. 

After remaining awhile in Liverpool, I 
started on a voyage to Bonny River, Africa, 
during which I realized a variety of suffei:- 
ings far more severe than any I had ever 
before experienced— both food and water 
becoming exhausted. 

On our arrival at Bonny River, some 
few of the ship's company, myself includ- 
ed, were sent on shore, by order of the 
captain, to build a cask-house to shelter 
onr casks, as we were to load with palm- 
oil. The work proved laborious, and the 
heat of the climate was excessive. 



70 A Sailor's Experience, 

While constructing the cask-house we 
were considerably annoyed by the natives, 
who were continually asking ridiculous 
questions, at the same time soliciting cus- 
tom for parrots, monkeys, birds, etc. One 
day on obserying a long red lizard crawling 
on the ground at my feet, I made an at- 
tempt to kill it, when one of the natiyes, 
obserying my intention, rushed toward me, 
and grabbing my foot, exclaimed: *'You 
no kill him ; he my god ; you kill-ee him, 
my people kill-ee you ! " It is unnecessary 
to say that he sayed the. lizard's life — of 
course I sayed mine. 

Before the cask-house was completed we 
suffered intensely from the heat. One day 
the sun seemed to melt everything; sever- 
al had fainted, and at last I fell completely 
exhausted. I was carried on board, and in 
a few minutes returned to consciousness ; 



A Sailor 's Experience, 71 

but to my horror I found everything dark 
around me. I heard voices near me, and 
on inquiring the hour, was told by a ship- 
mate that it was three o'clock in the after- 
noon! 

, Now I fully understood this darkness — 
I was blind ! With what a heartfelt prayer 
did I invoke the Lord to restore my sight ; 
how soon did thoughts of home and my 
mother come rushing in upon me ; and 
with what earnest longings did my heart 
cry out for sympathy and aid ! 

A vessel, being in the service of the same 
company, was about to sail for Liverpool. 
I was transported to it, that I might arrive 
in port as soon as possible, where I could 
have my eyes cared for, with the hope of a 
speedy recovery. However, during the 
voyage home, my sight gradually returned ; 
and on being able once more to observe 



72 A Sailor's Experience. 

things about the ship I forgot what the 
good Lord had done for me. 

But soon an affliction was sent upon our 
entire crew. For several days we had been 
short for both provisions and water; and 
now two days had passed without food or 
drink, and as yet no sail in sight ! The 
men were frantic. At last, famishing with 
hunger, we were about to cast lots to see 

who should suffer death to sustain the lives 

• 

of the rest ; but recoiling from such a fear- 
ful alternative, I declared that sooner than 
eat human flesh I would jump overboard. 
Many strong-hearted men sickened at the 
thought of such a proceeding ; but by the 
mercy of God all our lives were spared. 
At this juncture we were relieved by a 
friendly sail which afforded us the necessa- 
ry supplies. 

On arriving at Liverpool, after spending 



A Sailor *s Experience. 73 

a few days indulging in my old habits, I 
shipped in a packet for New York. My 
clothes, all saye those I had on, were stolen 
by the ship's crew, and I dared not take off 
my sea-boots during the passage lest I 
should lose them also. One day, while on 
this passage, I narrowly escaped death by 
a fall from the main -mast to the deck ; but 
fortunately I caught my arm on the lower 
brail of the main-spencer, breaking the 
force of the fall, and thus my life - was 
saved. 

A few minutes after this the bunt of the 
f or etop -gallant sail was blown adrift, and 
a shipmate and myself were sent aloft to 
make it fast. We had no sooner reached 
the yard than the sail filled and knocked 
my companion off the yard^ In falling he 
struck the cross-trees, fell to the dock, 
and was instantly killed. His name was 



74 A Sailor's Experience. 

William Heralde ; lie was about twenty- 
five years old, and a native of Boston. 

What my feelings were that night, while 
assisting the sailor-maker in sewing up the 
remains of a friend in a canvas shroud for 
burial in an ocean grave— only he can im- 
agine whose painful duty it has been to 
perform a similar service. While he was 
being lowered from the vessel's side, a 
sense of my own miserable condition, as 
the result of a profligate life, deeply op- 
pressed me. 

On the preceding night, while shortning 
sail, the second mate, a very profligate man, 
while in an angry mood, kicked a man off* 
the main top-sail yard, who in falling broke 
his leg and two ribs. 

On witnessing such scenes of barbarity, 
I again stifled my conscience with hasty re- 
solves to lead a better life ; but sailor-like, 



A Sailor's Experience. 75 

deferred its commencement, and hence my 
TOWS were made only to be broken, as they 
had often been before. Oh, when will sea- 
men learn that the only effectual yow is 
that which is endorsed by immediate ac- 
tion ! 

Our voyage to New York was made in 
thirty-eight days. I felt grateful to God 
that my life was spared; I had nearly 
frozen to death once or twice, being expos- 
ed to the inclemency of the weather, and 
my clothes were continually in a wet con- 
dition, in consequence of the heavy seas 
breaking over the bulwarks ; and I arrived 
in New York on the i&fteenth of February, 
with frost-bitten feet and hands. 



CHAPTEE VII 



Voyage to tlie East Indies — Fall Overboard — Attacked witli Fever — 
Sail for Penang — Three of our Crew Desert the SMp — A Prize- 
fighter — A Knock-Down — ^Passage Home — A Fight — Imprison- 
ment. 



My next Yoyage brought new dangers 
and corresponding resolutions ! I shipped 
for Sumatra in the East Indies. On the 
voyage out, when off cape Good Hope, we 
were visited by a violent gale, which dam- 
aged our rigging to considerable extent, 
and the heavy sea stripped the copper bot- 
tom completely off the ship. 

On this passage I fell overboard, and be- 
fore the ship was brought to and the life- 
boat reached me, I was well nigh exhaust- 
ed. How like a dark mountain did my 



A Sailor's Experience, 77 

sins rise before me as I was being tossed to 
and fro at the mercy of those reckless 
wayes ! On the yerge of death, and yet 
unforgiyen ! I tremble now, as I think of 
that awful reality. 

We put into Sumatra, Isle of France, 
to repair damages, where we remained 
about thirty days ; and haying shipped an- 
other seamen,^re-sailed for our port of des- 
tination, where we commenced loading 
with pepper. I was sent, with two of my 
shipmates, on shore, to superintend the 
weighing. Our exposures and the food we 
were obliged to eat on shore, brought on 
the feyer so peculiar to that region, which, 
being of a contagious nature, soon spread 
among the crew, resulting in the death of 
some. I was taken with it, and for some 
time my life was despaired of. For three 
months I lay in port, suffering intensely 



78 A Sailor's Experience. 

both in mind and body, until I was re- 
duced to a mere skeleton. Haying no gen- 
tle hand to minister to my necessities, with 
no words of sympathy or love to cheer me, 
and with a deep sense of my lost condi- 
tion, I tried to pray^; and laboring under 
such a pressure of mental excitement, my 
aching heart fainted within me ; darkness 
seemed to gather round me, and in the an- 
guish of my heart I appealed to God to 
restore my health, and grant me the priv- 
ilege of once more seeing home and 
friends ! Most bitterly I cried : — 

"O, God of tlie "boundless deep, 
Behold with pity from above 
The sailor, far from childhood's home, 
And o'er him spread thy bow of love." 

I soon began to grow stronger, and in a 
few days had recovered sufficiently to work 
a little. Meanwhile conscience kept whis- 
pering : — 



A Sailor 's Experience. 79 

" Go not, bold seaman, from this shore 
Upon God's boundless deep to roam, 
Eegardless of the grace of God, 
The purchase of a Savior's blood!" 

But once more at work, though still 
weak and miserable, the kindness of the 
Lord was soon forgotten. 

We sailed for Penang, where Ave arrived 
in a few days. The cargo was immediate- 
ly sold to a French ship. Our rigging was 
condemned, and a general re-fitting of new 
rigging and painting commenced. While 
the ship was repairing, three of our best 
sailors deserted, putting us to considerable 
inconvenience, one of them being a carpen- 
ter; and as seamen were not very plenty 
at Penang, the captain was obliged to send 
to Singapore for them. In a few days 
three arrived, and on signing the ship's pa- 
pers were duly quartered among the crew. 
At the expiration of ten days all was in 



80 A Sailor's. Experience. 

readiness to weigh anchor, when a sad 
accident occurred, which for a time cast a 
gloom over the entire ship's company. One 
of the seamen, who was a very profane and 
wicked man, while aloft on the main top- 
sail yard, fell, and unfortunately struck his 
head upon the rail, went overboard, and was 
seen no more. He was no doubt food for 
the many sharks about the vessel. This 
event deeply affected me for a time, but it 
was soon forgotten, and I continued to 
tread in the pathway of vice. After 
searching in vain for the body, all hands 
returned to the ship, and the order was 
given to heave anchor, and we again set 
sail for the coast of Sumatra. We were 
soon out to sea, and the land slowly re- 
ceded from our view. 

We were out perhaps thirty-six hours, 
when one of the three sailors who were 



A Sailor's Experience. 81 

shipped at Penang made a proposition to 
the crew, in my hearing, to take charge oi 
the yessel by murdering the officers, and 
then share the plunder. This would be 
about sixty thousand dollars, which was in- 
tended for the purchase of another cargo. 

Notwithstanding my yiciousness of char- 
acter and reckless depravity of heart, I 
could not for a moment think of assenting 
to such a bloody proposition. I had long 
been a trayeler in the paths of sin, yet I 
was a stranger to the crime of murder; 
and hence felt it my duty, not only in jus- 
tice to myself and others of the crew, but 
to the officers also, to inform the latter, of 
the bold and bloody intention of this yile 
ruffian. Accordingly, I related the whole 
plot to the officers, and receiyed their sin- 
cere thanks for my honesty of purpose. 

It was soon noised about that the officers 



82 A Sailor* s Experience. 

knew of the intention of the crew to take 
the ship, and that they were fully prepared 
to resist any attack ; and to further their 
own safety, kept a double watch on deck. 

I was selected by the officers as private 
watchman, and those of the crew who 
favored mutiny were not long in surmising 
that I had made known their schemes. 
This, of course, had a tendency to engen- 
der a feeling of animosity on the part of 
the crew, toward me ; and the leader of 
the intended riot, who proved to be a 
prize-fighter, made me at once the object 
of his hatred. 

One day I was upon the fore-top gallant 
forecastle, still weak from recent sickness, 
when the ruffian came up, and after insult- 
ing and cursing me for cowardice, gave me 
a blow which knocked me down, injuring 
me to considerable extent. I soon recovered 



A Sailor 's Experience. 83 

my senses, but only to faint again, for 
I was quite exhausted by the blow. I was 
earned to my berth, where I received due 
attention from the officers, and was soon 
restored to consciousness. 

The more I thought of this cowardly 
act, and the nature of the man, the more 
did I meditate upon revenge. I met and 
passed him upon deck, with my usual in- 
difference, but said nothing to him directly 
by way of establishing good feeling be- 
tween us ; for it was in perfect unison with 
my revengeful feelings to keep him at va- 
riance with me, and at the same time en- 
courage him in the thought that I felt 
myself completely under his subjection. 
Thus matters stood on our return to Su- 
matra. 

After re-loading our vessel with pepper, 
and providing ourselves with the usual 



84 A Sailor's Experience. 

supplies of water and proyisions, we sailed 
for home under yery favorable auspices — 
haying fair weather, a good breeze, and for 
once a sober crew. I was still weak, and 
had not done any work while in port. But 
the captain considered that I had render- 
ed him ample seryice in saying his life and 
the ship, and he granted me the priyilege 
of continuing my faithful service as pri- 
vate watchman. I sincerely appreciated 
this kindness, inasmuch as it released 
me from laborious duty, and gave me not 
only free access to the cabin, but also a 
share of its bountiful hospitalities. 

During our passage home, my strength 
gradually returned, and from practicing 
with dumb bells and constant exercise I 
w3^ soon, as I then thought, in fighting 
condition. To whip the prize-fighter was 
my constant thought ; I told no one of my 



A Sailor's Experience. 85 

intentions, but secretly indulged in my pu- 
gilistic meditations ; the thought of accom- 
plishing my reyenge neryed me for the 
work, and I accordingly made preparations 
for hostilities. Having laid aside my coat, 
I unbuttoned my shirt-collar, and went on 
deck ; but was disappointed in finding my 
antagonist at the wheel, for I did not wish 
to disturb his equanimity while on duty ; 
therefore I seated myself upon the railing 
and patiently awaited his relief. I thought 
how sweet it was to haye reyenge at last ! 
I was not certain that I could master him, 
for he was a powerful man ; but something 
seemed to say that I was to '■' thrash him." 
In due time he was relieyed, and came 
striding across the deck with the air of an 
aristocrat, and advancing to me, gave me a 
push, saying, '* Get out of the way, cow- 
ard ! " This was enough ; without a word 



86 A Sailor's Experience. 

I struck and closed with him. During a 
lengthy wrestle I threw him down, and af- 
ter punishing him seyerely, until my ship- 
mates begged of me to desist, I let go of 
him on condition of better treatment in 
future, and the penalty of a larger dose of 
the same sort if his pronaise was broken. 
The flogging had the desired eflect. He 
became more quiet, and more humane, 
treating all on board with more decency. 
And thus it was that God gave me power 
to tame this lion, although I knew not his 
providential kindness, nor regarded the in- 
sanity of my nature. 

The following day we arrived at Parna 
Buchu, Brazil, where we were bound for 
orders. While on shore, I again resorted 
to drink, and during a fit of intoxication 
got into difficulty with some soldiers, which 
resulted in a fight, and my incarceration 



A Sailor *s Experience, 87 

in jail. The captain's sympatliy was en- 
listed in my behalf, and through his benev- 
olence my fine was paid and I was released. 
The result of my dissipation so sickened 
me of rum and its associations that I re- 
solved that I would never taste it again. 

Our orders being homeward, I again re- 
solved to visit my parents. Accordingly, 
on our arrival at New York, having receiv- 
ed my wages, which amounted to about 
two hundred dollars, I bought some good 
clothes, packed them neatly in a new 
trunk which I had bought for that pur- 
pose, and was in readiness to start. But 
alas, for human resolves ! Meeting an old 
shipmate, he pressed me to have a drink — 
just one — before I started. I consented. 
The result was, a spree ! The harpies got 
my last cent of money, and my intended 
visit home was not soon to be realized. 



CHAPTER VIII 



New York Life — Courtship and Marriage — ^U. S. Eevemie Cutter — 
Promotion — Unpleasant Eumors — My Little Boy — An Unfaithful 
Wife — Good-Bye to New York. 



New York City is a yast field of human 
suffering — one that bears the semblance of 
both poverty and wealth — one that can ex- 
alt the millionaire and degrade the pauper, 
or in other words, can assist the poor and 
friendless, or leaye him to the mercy of an 
unfeeling world. I had trayelled oyer por- 
tions of the city in search of employment, 
and was disgusted with the cold-hearted- 
ness of its people. One week had nearly 
gone and still I could find no work. Eyery 
morning I carefully examined the papers 



A Sailor's Experience, 89 

in hopes of finding a suitable employment, 
— or in fact, any kind of labor by which I 
could earn an honest livelihood. Alas! 
fate seemed to be against me. Disappoint- 
ment was meeting me at every step ; hu- 
man sympathy was nowhere to be found ; 
the dens of vice sent forth discordant yells 
in exultation, as it were, at my utter de- 
feat ; the very rag-pickers in their squalid 
poverty seemed to smile at my wretched- 
ness ; — and when I look back to those un- 
happy times and contemplate their many 
trials and sufferings, it seems almost as 
though I had been transported to a high- 
er sphere, and that I am now living in the 
enjoyment of a better world ! 

My boarding-master and benefactor. Cap- 
tain Peterson, consented to let me stay 
another week, in hopes of my finding a 
situation of some kind. He had two 



90 A Sailor's Experience, 

daughters, aged respectively twelve and 
eighteen years. Sailors are generally ex- 
ceedingly fond of the vreaker sex, and 
are often entrapped by their captivating 
manners, and artful glances. Catharine, 
the elder of the two girls, was very fond 
of dress and show, and not only desired to 
be an ornament to the parlor, but also to 
captivate some beardless youth by her 
charms. She was not by any means proud 
or aristocratic, — for indeed the locality of 
their residence would not permit of such 
dignity; but she was a wild, untamed, 
reckless girl; one that just suited the 
taste of a sailor, and who possessed both 
the power to please and fascinate. 

I had often met Katie in the dining- 
room, and was as often pleased by her 
manner. One evening, while in the sit- 
ting-room, she made her appearance, and 



A Sailor's Experience, 91 

with the usual "Good Evening/' seated 
herself near me. Her air was altogether 
captiyating, — at least it would seem so 
judging from the sighs of the male indi- 
yiduals there assembled, who deemed 
themselves lucky if they could get one 
glance from those large blue eyes accom- 
panied with a smile. She was at this time 
blessed with no less than eight different 
beaux, some of whom were among the 
higher grade of society, while others were 
contented with merely a knowledge of 
self-respectability. 

Will it seem strange to the reader, con- 
sidering the charms of this young lady — 
her many admirers, splendid dress, capti- 
vating manners, and her father's reputed 
wealth,- — that I should become enamored 
with her many attractions ? I had never 
experienced that sensation called love, had 



92 A Sailor's Experience, 

never reveled in its mysterious depths; 
therefore I could not easily judge whether 
I was really in love with Catharine or 
whether mv feelino^s were the result of an 
over-heated imagination. How strange it 
is that a man in the full enjoyment of 
health, strength, and what is more impor- 
tant, a sane mind, should be enticed by 
the mere attractions of dress into avenues 
from which there is no escape, and from 
which influences often arise having a ten- 
dency to disparage a life which might 
otherwise have been devoted to usefulness. 
Certain it was that I fell in love, — or 
rather imagined I was in love, with Miss 
Catharine Peterson ; and after a few days' 
courtship we were married in a Cathohc 
church in New York ; the ceremony being 
performed by a priest. I received many 
congratulations on being so fortunate as to 



A Sailor's Experience. 93 

secure the daughter of Captain Peterson ; 
while her virtues were being extolled be- 
yond precedent by her many acquaintances 
and admirers. 

I remained at the house of my father- 
in-law upwards of a month, when I made 
the acquaintance of one, Captain Hunter, 
of the U. S. Revenue Cutter, Washington. 
Captain H. soon oflfered me a position 
which I accepted, and was accordingly re- 
ceived on board his ship, and placed as 
Captain of the Fore-top. I was on board 
only four weeks when I received promo- 
tion as Master at Arms. I did my duty, 
and was considered eificient in the dis- 
charge of all responsibilities that came un- 
der my supervision. I therefore not only 
merited the esteem of the officers, but 
was treated with kindness and respect. 

We were cruising up the river and on 



^4 A Sailor^ s Experience, 

the coast, but much of our time was spent 
in the harbor; consequently I was often 
permitted to be in my wife's society at 
home. 

After being in the service of Captain 
Hunter about ten months, circumstances 
led me to think that my wife was not liv- 
ing in accordance with our marriage vows. 
I would not credit the slander at fii'st, but 
regarded the imputation as a base design 
to annoy me and bring disgrace upon my 
wife; and deemed the insult to have 
sprung from some perfidious lover who had 
been disappointed in his matrimonial ex- 
pectations. I discredited all rumors in 
reference to her private character ; for by 
her expressions of tenderness, and affec- 
tionate duties as a wife, I could only be- 
lieve that she was true and faithful. 

Three months thus passed away, during 



A Sailor V Experience, 95 

which time my wife presented me with a 
bright blue-eyed boy. If she possessed a 
perfidious nature, she dearly loyed her 
child^ and most tenderly watched oyer and 
eared for the little one. 

My wife was small in stature, with fea- 
tures and manner yery prepossessing ; and 
a stranger would suppose that her qualities 
were naught but chastity and goodness. 
But again did Mother Rumor lisp words 
of scandal in my ear ; and now my wife's 
perfidy proyed too obyious not to arrest 
my attention. One eyening I had left the 
Reyenue Cutter for the purpose of spend- 
ing the night at home, but on my arriyal 
found the shutters closed, the door locked, 
and no one to giye me an entrance. I 
knocked loudly at the door, but receiying 
no answer, concluded my wife was yisit- 
ing one of the neighbors. I determined 



96 A Sailor's Experience. 

to enter the house, and easily accom- 
plished my purpose through a rear win- 
dow ; and on looking around the room I 
observed a pair of gentleman's gloves 
which had evidently been forgotten by 
him, who no doubt was now in my wife's 
society. My suspicions being thus fully 
aroused, I made up my mind to at once 
ferret out her character, and to feel justi- 
fied in the sight of God and man in either 
condemning, or acknowledging her to be 
faithful. Accordingly I fastened the win- 
dow and went into an adjoining apartment 
occupied by a family of poor people, hop- 
ing to gain some information in reference 
to her whereabouts. I was, on inquiry, 
immediately informed by the lady that my 
wife had gone to a theatre in company 
with a sailor; and had left her child in 
charge of her grandmother, etc. 



A Sailor's Experience. 97 

My affection for my wife had ripened 
into such sincere and pure deyotion, that 
I could not believe her inconstant ; but 
trusted that this friend might prove to be 
a relative, or at least some person in whom 
confidence had not been misplaced. Assur- 
ed of finding her at the theatre, I made 
my way thither. It being near the time 
for its close I took a position near the en- 
trance, and before I had waited long the 
immense crowd came rushing out. A feel- 
ing of nervousness crept over me, as my 
eyes were intently fixed upon the faces of 
that multitude of people, and I was for 
once praying for disappointment, and hop- 
ed the evil words I had heard from the 
woman were not true — that I should not 
find my wife there, but rather at the home 
of some friend enjoying the society of 
those more congenial to my taste. The 



98 A Sailor's Experience, 

crowd had nearly all dispersed, and I was 
congratulating myself upon the improba- 
bility of my wife's presence there, when I 
recognized a voice that too plainly demon- 
strated the fact of her presence ; and she 
was in company with a sailor who was on 
board the same ship with myself, — one 
who was noted for his eyil propensities and 
vulgar manner. 

My first impulse was to have instant re- 
venge ; but out of respect to my wife's 
feelings, I deferred an attack until some 
future time, and screening myself from 
their observation, saw them pass arm in 
arm on their way homeward. I can not 
better describe my feelings at this junct- 
ure, than by saying that my misery was 
complete. I had of late often missed 
this man from the vessel at the hour of 
roll-call, and was aware of his frequent 



A Sailor's Experience, 99 

visits to my wife, but the proof of his inti- 
macy was now made manifest ; and I could 
think of nothing but his treacherous 
friendship. I followed them at a little dis- 
tance, and soon they arrived at the house, 
now a home for me no longer ! I did not 
think either of my wife, the man, or my 
child, for I was nearly distracted. Only 
those who have been placed in similar 
circumstances, can imagine my feelings. 

I had stood outside the door perhaps 
half an hour, when the thought of my 
wife's unfaithfulness filled me with such 
sudden animosity, that with the mania of 
a mad-man I rushed up the steps, and 
bursting the door wide open, rushed into 
the room. Here was a sight that chilled 
me ! My wife in the arms of the sailor— 
her paramour ! 

I have often wondered since that I did 



100 A Sailor's Experience. 

not take the life of that man ; but I have 
reason to thank God for cooling my pas- 
sion and shielding the hand that would 
haye made me a murderer. For some 
moments I could not, or did not, speak; 
I simply stood and contemplated the scene 
before me. My presence seemed to be a 
matter of indifference to them ; the sailor 
did not deign to look up, and my wife still 
kept her seat. In the bitterness of my 
anger, passion forced me to laugh at their 
cool and collected manner, although I felt 
deeply outraged by their collateral com- 
panionship. 

From that moment I determined to 
leave the house foreyer. I went into an 
adjoining room, and collecting some of my 
effects together, and placing them in a 
trayeling satchel, returned again to the 
parlor, and found my wife still in her 



A Sailor's Experience. 101 

paramour's lap, receiving his caresses, her 
husband's presence seeming to make no 
difference. 

Without even saying *' Good-bye," I left 
the place. Parting, according to Shak- 
speare, is a ''sweet sorrow," but I have 
never found its sweetness. It has been 
my misfortune to part, sooner or later, 
with all the friends who have loved me 
and whom I have loved, just when I had 
learned the pleasure of their presence ; 
and I can safely say that the farewell mo- 
ment had no sweets for me. 

Having left my wife to suffer the dis- 
grace she had brought upon herself, my 
sympathy was the more enlisted for my 
child. Accordingly I left all the money I 
could spare in the hands of my father-in- 
law, to give to my undeserving wife to 
maintain herself and child while I was 



102 A Sailor's Experience. 

gone ; for I now intended to leave tlie ser- 
vice of Captain Hunter, and share once 
more the hardships of the sea, — hoping 
thus to be able partially to forget the ter- 
rible disappointments and trials through 
which I had passed. 



CHAPTER IX 



Trip to the West Indies — Old Habits — Terriffic Storm — Man Lost — 
Again in New York — My Wife's Degradation — Divorce — Second 
Voyage to the East Indies — Ship Struck by Lightning — ^Another 
Instance of God's Providence. 



I soon found an opportunity to ship in 
a large vessel for the West Indies. I felt 
like going to the ends of the earth, for 
my wife's conduct had so worked upon 
my feelings that I could find no comfort 
in New York, much less in her presence. 
I sailed from that city with saddened spir- 
its, the thought of my child deeply de- 
pressing me ; but I could only trust in a 
Higher power for his future protection. 

The passage out proved to be a pleasant 
one, nothing transpiring to mar the good 



104 A Sailor's Experieiice, 

feeling on board ; officers and crew seem- 
ing to coincide with one another, while all 
manifested a desire to do their respective 
duties cheerfully. 

On our arrival at our port of destina- 
tion, I participated in my old pleasures of 
rum and sin, and as usual did not stop to 
reflect until we were again on our home 
passage, and then came the reflections of 
broken vows and a guilty conscience. 
When nearing Cape Hatteras we were 
overtaken by a heavy snow-storm, which 
continued for hours with unabated fury. 
When off the Cape the vessel sprung a 
leak, and being heavily loaded, we were 
obliged to throw overboard at least half 
our cargo. While the storm was raging, 
one man was washed overboard, and his 
lamentable cries were heard for a time by 
all, who stood spell-bound; for to have 



A Sailor's Experience. 105 

lowered a boat and attempted his rescue 
would haye been madness, as the ship her- 
self could barely withstand the yiolence of 
the heavy sea. I felt that I had never 
been nearer my grave than on that night ; 
and afterward, whenever I thought of the 
terrible fate of my shipmate on that wild, 
dark, and tempestuous night, a still, small 
voice kept whispering of righteousness, 
temperance, and a judgment to come, but 
naught of hope to my sinful heart. As 
before, I returned answer, "Let me but 
get safe to land, and my vows shall be 
remembered;" but safe on land they were 
again forgotten. 

Thus my life ran on, God's mercy deliv- 
ering, and my base ingratitude preventing 
due acknowledgments. We arrived once 
more safe in New York, after an absence 
pf nearly four months. I left the ship, as 



106 A Sailor's Experience. 

soon as an opportunity was offered, for 
the purpose of visiting my father-in-law, 
hoping to gain some favorable information 
as to my wife's whereabouts ; for I imag- 
ined that during my absence she might 
have reformed, and possibly afford some 
means of reconciliation. I soon learned 
from her father that after I had sailed for 
the West Indies she continued to live with 
the sailor as man and wife, regardless of 
my feelings and the entl-eaties of friends ; 
and as a reward for her perfidy he left her 
in a short time to return to her father's 
house or seek maintenance the best way 
she could. She had also become intem- 
perate, and the money I had left for her 
benefit was soon squandered for liquor, 
and everything that she possessed, furs, 
shawl, dresses, jewelry, etc., were sold for 
strong, drink. She had lost her child from 



A Sailor's Experience. 107 

her neglect, but this did not seem to affect 
her. The knowledge of its death and 
burial was a source of relief to me, for I 
knew it was better off where it was than 
it would have been to haye liyed exposed 
to the many temptations and snares into 
which it must inevitably have fallen. 
Having no doubt of my wife's degrada- 
tion, I applied for a divorce — her father 
assisting me — which was readily granted 
me by the court. Thus ended a marriage 
life of sixteen months — a period of mis- 
erable wretchedness, the thought of which 
causes me to blush with shame. 

After these occurrences, I did not care 
to remain near the scene of my past trials 
any length of time, and I improved my 
time in looking up a ship. I soon found 
a seaman's berth on board a trading vessel, 
bound for the East Indies. 



108 A Sailor's Experience. 

My childish dreams of a sailor's life had 
long since yanished in the realities and 
hardships to which I had been exposed, 
and for many weary years sailorizing had 
been repugnant to my taste. But now 
that I had been swallowed up, as it were, 
in the vortex of dissipation — had drank 
deep of human trials, and suffered the an- 
guish of misplaced affections, the scales 
were fast falling from my eyes, and I could 
see that my chosen path had been in 
the wrong direction. Most bitterly did I 
repent of my misspent life ; but I had 
chosen. I had learned the trade, notwith- 
standing the persuasions of my parents to 
do otherwise ; consequently I must follow 
it for my occupation. 

I signed articles, and took my place on 
board the ship as one of the crew. The 
day of sailing from New York was to me 



A Sailor's Experience. 109 

a day of rejoicing: for I hoped new 
scenes, and the companionship of stran- 
gers, would induce me to think of some- 
thing brighter than blasted hopes, reck- 
lessness and suffering. I had drank noth- 
ing of an intoxicating nature for several 
days, and on looking in a mirror in the 
captain's cabin one morning, I felt quite 
proud to observe such a change in my 
countenance. The bleared eyes and flush- 
ed cheeks so peculiar to the drunkard, 
had disappeared, and I looked quite like a 
sober, rational being. The transformation 
being so striking, I fully determined to 
drink no more liquor. As I look back and 
think of my many resolutions made only 
to be broken, the picture seems dark and 
saddening. But how wonderful is the for- 
bearance of God! 

We made the passage in one hundred 



110 A Sailor's Experience. 

and forty days, and haying re-loaded our 
vessel, we sailed homeward. One night, 
when we had been out to sea a few days, 
a heavy thunder-storm came upon us, and 
during its fury our main-mast was struck 
by lightning, which came near destroying 
the lives of several of the crew. I was 
standing near the captain's quarters, 
thinking of the terrible violence of the 
Almighty's wrath, when the ship was 
struck the second time, the flash being ac- 
companied by a deafening roll of thunder, 
and visiting the same spot with greater vi- 
olence than before. I cannot describe the 
feelings of the captain and crew, at such 
an unexpected visitation, for I was stun- 
ned by the shock, and remained uncon- 
scious several hours. It was surprising to 
me that my life was spared ; but this was 
another instance of God's merciful dealing. 



A Sailor's Experience. Ill 

I trembled to think of my narrow escape, 
but before we reached New York it was all 
forgotten. After an absence of two hun- 
dred and seventy -five days, we safely an- 
chored in New York. 



CHAPTER X. 



Voyage to Brazil— A Shark— Eehim to New York- Ee-sail for Aus- 
tralia — A Fight— Desert Ship — Imprisonment — Another Fight- 
Second Imprisonment — Sailors' Boarding-House — A Scrape — 
Third Imprisonment— Turn Eoman Catholic— Ship for CMncha 
Islands. 



I remained in Xew York but a short 
time, when I shipped for Bey Hee, in Bra- 
zil. On our return passage I went into 
the sea to bathe, and while swimming near 
the ship, the captain, who was walking on 
deck, noticed a large shark approaching 
the vessel, and enquired of one of the 
crew if any of the men were in the water. 
On receiving an affirmative reply he ran 
to the stern of the ship and told me of 
the shark, barely in time for me to make 
my escape. Being informed of my danger, 



A Sailor *s Experience, 113 

I looked around and saw the monster com- 
ing with lightning speed directly toward 
me. With a desperate effort I made for 
the martingale, and just cleared the wa- 
ter in time to saye myself. All who wit- 
nessed the operation concluded that if 
the shark had closed his jaws upon my 
body, ** the New York harpies would have 
been heavy losers." The shark had no 
doubt scented me from a long distance, 
and but for the timely warning of the 
captain, I should have been his prey. 

Arriving safely in New York, after a 
short spree on shore, I shipped for Aus- 
tralia. After a four months' passage we ar- 
rived at Hudson's Bay, Melbourne. While 
at anchor I had a dispute with one of the 
crew, which resulted in a fight, and termi- 
nated in my being put in irons. The same 
night one of my shipmates assisted me in 



114 A Sailor's Experience, 

breaking off the irons, and taking a boat, 
five of us deserted the ship. 

I remained on shore a few days, then 
shipped in an Enghsh vessel for Liverpool. 
The captain of this ship proved to be a 
hard man ; he loved to see sailors work 
night and day, but this did not suit me. 
Our usual working hours were from four 
o'clock in the morning until eight at night. 
One evening he came on board in a state 
of intoxication, and ordered the second 
mate to call out the crew to wash down 
the decks. The mate came forward, and 
awaking us from sleep, delivered his or- 
ders. In answer to his summons I re- 
marked that I, for one, would not wash 
down decks in the middle of the night, 
after working hard all day. He made no 
reply, but went directly to the captain and 
told him that I had refused to do duty. 



A Sailor's Experience. 115 

The captain immediately came forward, 
still staggering, and commenced cursing, 
telling me that if I did not turn out he 
would soon help me out! Upon this I 
started for him ; coward-like, he ran aft ; 
I followed, but before I could overtake 
him he had reached his fort cabin and 
closed the door in my face. I told the 
mate to say to the captain that when he 
came forward again, he must come so- 
ber. The decks were not washed that 
night, nor were we again molested by the 
skipper. 

The next morning, when I appeared on 
deck, to my astonishment I saw the 
'' Union Jack " at the mast-head, and 
knew at once what to expect. Perhaps 
half an hour had elapsed, when the Water 
Police came on board and were immedi- 
ately directed to take charge of me. I 



116 A Sailor's Experience. 

was accordingly taken on shore to a police- 
court where I remained two hours waiting 
for the appearance of the magistrate. 
This indispensable official haying arrived, 
I was simply pointed out to him, as the 
prisoner, when with great pomp and dig- 
nity he arose and said : 

" I give him two months in the Hulks." 
Thus was I condemned on a charge, of 
the nature of which I was totally ignorant, 
and concerning which I have never been 
enlightened. I suppose, however, it was 
made by the captain, and had reference to 
my refusal to work nights washing decks, 
after having labored fifteen or sixteen 
hours during the day. It was nevertheless 
certain that I was sentenced to two months' 
hard labor, and certain that I remained 
the full term, and also certain that my 
captain sailed for Liverpool before I was 



A Sailor's Experience, 117 

released, otherwise it certainly would have 
been bad for him. 

After the expiration of my sentence I 
still remained at Melbourne. I had been 
released but a few days when I got into 
a scrape with a saloon-keeper. He sum- 
moned me into court, and by perjuring 
himself succeeded in his prosecution, I 
being sentenced to six months' labor on 
the public roads at stone-breaking. All 
this imprisonment seemed only to increase 
my thirst for dissipation when liberated ; 
and being so oyerjoyed on gaining my free- 
dom, I seemed to derive an excess of 
pleasure in drink that I had neyer before 
experienced. 

My spree being over, I again determin- 
ed to let liquor alone in the future ; my 
pride returned, and I w^anted to do some- 
thing to redeem the character I had so 



118 A Sailor's Experience. 

disgraced while at Melbourne. According- 
ly I started a sailor's boarding-house, and 
by hiring a few '' runners " soon succeeded 
in filling my house with sailor boarders. 
In this business I made money very fast ; 
and if I had saved what I acquired, in a 
few months' time, I should have had quite 
a fortune ; but all I realized from my busi- 
ness during the day generally went over 
the bar of some saloon-keeper at night, 
and consequently I was obliged to give up 
my house, and retire once more to the 
ranks of poverty. 

I now went from one bar-room to an- 
other, drinking more or less every day, re- 
gardless of the misery I was bringing upon 
myself. One day I deemed myself grossly 
insulted by a man who told me that I was 
" a fool and did not know how to take care 
of money if I had it." I replied directly 



A Sailor's Experience, 119 

by knocking him down ; and for this I was 
arrested for assault, tried and conyicted, 
and compelled to do two months' addi- 
tional service at stone-breaking on the 
public highway. 

Being liberated from this trouble I again 
resolyed to reform, and proye to the cit- 
izens of Melbourne that although my sins 
had been " as scarlet " they could be made 
" white as wool." 

Being surrounded by Catholics during 
my confinement, I was rather inclined to 
establish myself in their faith ; so on being 
released I went immediately to a priest 
and made a full confession of my past ca- 
reer; and the Holy Father proving yery 
attentiye, I may haye confessed more than 
was really essential for my salvation. Be 
that as it may, I did not feel comforted. 
The good Lord did not see fit to bless me 



120 A Sailor's Experience. 

just then. I had taken a glass or two be- 
fore yisiting the priest, thinking that the 
fatherly confessor could forgive and pardon 
all at the same time. Those two glasses 
of liquor were the last I ever drank in 
Melbourne, consequently I felt better 
physically if not spiritually, and from the 
day of my confession I attended Mass in 
the Catholic church, regularly; but I 
gained no strength by which I could over- 
come my sinful nature, but seemed rather 
to sink deeper and deeper into sin. At 
last, finding no comfort in religion — such 
as I possessed — and my pecuniary resour- 
ces being about exhausted, I concluded to 
try the sea again, and succeeded in getting 
a position as second mate on board a ship 
bound for the Chincha Islands. I sailed 
from Melbourne in not very good spirits, 
for I.was still halting between two opinions, 



A Sailor's Experience. 121 

viz., — whether I should strive to serve 
God or go on in the works of the Devil. 

The captain was a Christian ; and had 
the first mate proved to have been of a 
religious turn of mind I might possibly 
from that moment have been guided by 
Christian influence into the good road, 
and by their social companionship and reli- 
gious instruction have been saved from the 
doubts and conflicts I have since suffered. 
But alas ! the mate was an atheist, and 
would listen to no overtures of mercy; 
while the least reference to a religious 
topic would so excite the wrath of. the 
men that they would drown the conversa- 
tion in curses. 

When again out to sea I could feel my- 
self growing weaker and weaker, and I 
finally concluded that religion could not 
make me happy if I must deny myself 



122 A Sailor's Experience. 

the few pleasures of this world ; and re- 
solved to abandon all thoughts of it, and 
strive, in my own strength, to overcome 
my worst passions and if possible to live a 
life of morality. 

Why did God suffer me thus to live on 
in such a fearful state of unbelief? It was 
through his divine mercy: and I would 
gratefully acknowledge his infinite good- 
ness in sparing my life, and receiving me 
into his fold as one of his lost children ; 
and I can now but sing praises to his Holy 
name, and do him prayerful reverence as 
to a just but merciful God ! 

The skeptical delusions of the mate and 
crew soon had a tendency to quench my 
desire for holy things, and it was with feel- 
ings of remorse, that I ceased praying and 
suffered myself to be again drawn away 
by unbelievers, while the temptations to 



A Sailor's Experience. 123 

which I was exposed lured me back to 
my old habits. How wavering must have 
been my desires, since I was so easily in- 
fluenced! How insensible to everything 
pure and holy ! It seemed that my mind 
had become stagnated with the allurements 
of the world, while my physical nature 
was so given to insobriety, that when a se- 
rious thought did for a time arrest my at- 
tention, it was only as an insidiator to 
draw me on in wretchedness more intol- 
erable than ever. I remained in this un- 
happy state of Aind until we reached the 
Chincha Islands. 



CHAPTER XI 



A Missionary — More Eesolutions — Ee-sail for Callao — Passage to 
Baltimore — The " Glass with a Stick in it " — A Spree — Ship for 
New York — Dissipation — ^Voyage to Bey Hee, Brazil — Passage 
Home, etc. 



On our arriyal at the Chincha Islands 
we were employed for several days in 
loading our vessel with guano ; but when 
evening came I was generally to be found 
in the liquor -brothels or some other place 
of dissipation. The thoughts of my sin- 
ful pleasures troubled my conscience but 
very little while in port, until an Ameri- 
can missionary came on board one Sunday 
morning before we had had time to leave 
the ship. He was a true gentleman — as all 
good Christians should be — and his manner 



A Sailor *s Experience. 125 

evinced a disposition most kind and affec- 
tionate. He asked if he could be permit- 
ted to speak to us of Jesus. Nearly all 
signified their willingness to listen to his 
remarks, while some of the more harden- 
ed in sin, left the ship to learn more of 
the world. The missionary spoke most 
affectingly of our crucified Savior, the 
blood he shed and the suffering he endur- 
ed for our sakes ; his power to save sinners 
and the privileges we enjoyed through his 
mercy ; pointed out to us the way of sal- 
vation, and elucidated in an earnest man- 
ner the importance of finding refuge in 
our Savior's love and forgiveness. At the 
close of his remarks, to which we had lis- 
tened very attentively, he sang a most 
beautiful and touching hymn, and con- 
cluded the exercises with an eloquent and 
fervent prayer. I can never erase from 



126 A Sailor's Experiejice, 

* 

my memory the earnest appeal sent forth 
to God by this man, for us poor sailors, 
nor would I forget it ; for I know that 
prayer, as all sincere prayers are, is record- 
ed in the Book of Life. Tears of com- 
miseration rolled down his cheeks, as he 
saw us sitting in such an indifferent reye- 
rie, and with a heart full of love, and a 
countenance expressiye of the deepest 
sympathy, he petitioned Heaven, in the 
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
to bless us. I felt deeply convicted by this 
sermon, and felt that I would sacrifice all 
if I could but become a Christian; but 
the Enemy whispered in my ear, '* How 
can you become a sincere Christain with 
so many evil-disposed men around you ? " 
The Devil prevailed, and I deferred the 
matter for re-consideration at some future 
time. 



A Sailor's Experience, 127 

The vessel being loaded, we re-sailed for 
Callao, for- something was wrong in connec- 
tion with our clearance papers, which made 
it necessary for us to return to the cus- 
tom-house, at considerable inconyenience. 
The captain went on shore to get a clear- 
ance. Meanwhile strict orders were left 
with the first mate and myself to keep the 
crew on board, and to have everything in 
sailing trim, on his return. The skipper 
returned in an hour or two, and finding 
everything in order, manifested his appro- 
bation by treating the crew to a good glass 
of grog, which bad a tendency to raise the 
captain, at once, in their estimation. It 
was reported among the crew, by some 
knowing one, that they were to have a 
daily allowance of liquor ; and that the 
skipper took a drop himself occasionally, 
and knew **what was what.'' I am sure 



128 A Sailor's Experience, 

that the captain had his allowance, and 
perhaps a little more, eyery day, but as 
for the crew receiying a similar fayor the 
following day was *'a horse of another 
color/' It is unnecessary to say, the skip- 
per fell at least a hundred per cent, in the 
estimation of the crew, on the following 
day. In yain did they search, with parch- 
ed mouths, for the indiyidual who started 
the report that they were to be supplied 
daily with the *' oil of mirth," as they 
termed it; in yain they applied to the 
captain for *'just one swallow,'' for says 
he, '' if I do drink, I don't want to dis- 
grace you with the same appetite." It 
was with dry throats and neryous hands 
that the crew were compelled to go about 
their duty. 

We had now quite a fayorable wind, 
and were steering directly for Baltimore. 



A Sailor's Experience. 129 

The weather continued fair, with no un- 
usually heayy sea, and as we were thus 
quietly ploughing the mighty deep, my 
thoughts wandered homeward. I remem- 
ber, it was a beautiful moonlight evening ; 
I was sitting on the railing aft the cap- 
tain's cabin, when the first thought of 
home filled my eyes with tears ; I pictur- 
ed to my mind our quiet little family cir- 
cle gathered around the bountifully-spread 
table, with grateful hearts enjoying their 
evening meal ; and in imagination could 
see my good old father, bent with age, ca- 
ressing with fondness the heads of little 
sisters as they sat on his knee, and my 
dear mother watching with anxious face 
the post-man; as he passed on his usual 
round, hoping for a letter from her far- 
distant sailor -boy; and see the flush of 
sadness as she turned disappointed away ; 



130 A Sailor's Experience, 

then the contrast between this loving pic- 
ture and my unhappy condition was more 
than I could bear, and I wept most bitter- 
ly. And there I sat for hours, uninter- 
rupted by any one, thinking, thinking, 
thinking — of what? Thinking of my 
childhood days, of a happy home, and the 
last good-bye, my sufferings since, my un- 
happy marriage, and the disgrace of oft- 
repeated imprisonments, my reckless char- 
acter, and last of all, the consequences of 
my ill-spent life. 

I shall never forget the picture which 
my imagination presented before me. I 
thought of everj^thing I had ever been 
guilty of, and the good advice I had re- 
ceived of my father, while I could not re- 
call a single act as a recompense by which 
I could ameliorate my lost condition or 
make my defense any brighter before God. 



A Sailor's Experience. 131 

While in this reverie I again solemnly de- 
termined to abstain from drink. After 
several hours spent thus in silent medita- 
tion, I retired for the night. The next 
morning I refused the liquor that was 
kindly offered me by the captain, upon 
which he surveyed me wdth evident dis- 
trust, remarking that ''perhaps I was al- 
ready drunk.'' ''No, sir, I am not drunk," 
I replied, "but only last night I made up 
my mind not to diink any more liquor/' 
" Humph ! " says he, " a queer idea, but a 
good one." I left the cabin rejoicing to 
think that for once I had kept my resolu- 
tion. But I was strongly tempted ; my 
thirst for liquor had become strong, and I 
loved its effect, for under its fiery influ- 
ence I dreamed not of the past or its suf- 
ferings ; and for a time my sorrows could 
be di'owned by its use, although it was 



132 A Sailor's Experience. 

but heaping coals of fire upon my own 
head. 

After a passage of one hundred and 
thirty-five days we arrived in Baltimore. 
The crew were paid off* and discharged, 
and as the ship was to lie up for repairs, 
I drew all my wages and went to a private 
boarding-house in Baltimore, thinking I 
might thus free myself from the associa- 
tion of the crew, and thereby further my 
design to abstain from intoxicating drinks. 

For several days I walked about the 
city, visiting the theatre and other places 
of amusement, until I met an old ship- 
mate, with whom I had sailed on a former 
voyage from the West Indies to LiverpooL 
Poor Jack being about "two sheets in the 
wind," insisted upon my taking something ; 
and taking me by the collar, forced me 
into a saloon near by, at the same time 



A Sailor '6- Experience, 133 

calling lustily for di^ink. Jack took plain 
whisky, while I ordered a bottle of soda. 
We drank, and took a seat near by. No 
sooner seated than he was thirsty again, 
and called the second time for drinks. 
This time he discovered that I was ''play- 
ing possum," and now, if I had any regard 
for him, I must ''take something strong- 
er," I refused. He insisted that I must 
take one drink with him before Ave part- 
ed, "for," said he, " we may never meet 
again ! " " Landlord," said he, *' make him 
a glass with ' a stick in it,' and 111 bet a 
land lubber, he'll drink it ! " 

Jack won his bet; I yielded, and as a 
consequence, I remained in Baltimore till 
every cent of my money was squandered. 
Here I was again, a prey to my own sin- 
ful nature, a complete wreck of broken 
resolves, stifling conscience with strong 



134 A Sailor's Experience, 

drink, and with my old friend Poverty for 
a companion. 

Disgusted with the thought of reforma- 
tion, I once more started out to find a 
ship. I went down to the dock to see my 
old captain, and to ascertain how he in- 
tended to sail. He said he should be fit- 
ted out and ready to sail in a couple of 
days, and that if I ivished to go in his 
ship as second mate, as before, h^ would 
be glad to have me, *' for," said he, " you 
don't drink ! " I thought to myself if the 
captain had only seen my friend Jack and 
myself a fcAv days before, his good opinion 
w^ould haye been somewhat reversed ; and 
now that I did drink, the captain's words 
went like an arrow to my heart ; for how 
could I accept a drink from him when he 
believed that I had given it up and by my 
silence confii^ming his opinions ? Here 



A Sailor's Expe?ie?ice, 135 

was a new source of trouble. I had en- 
gaged to go with him, but by my own 
conduct had depriyed myself of a seeming 
necessity, without which I imagined the 
world a dreary waste ; and now I should 
be obliged to see the captain indulge in 
his usual ** bitters" every morning, while 
I could only censure myself for causing 
such a deprivation. I left the vessel and 
wandered about the city a couple of days, 
not going on board until she was ready 
for sea ; and then I provided myself with 
a gallon of liquor, for which I got credit, 
and secretly smuggled it on board, and 
deposited it in my state-room. The crew 
were all on board, and having signed, we 
hove anchor, and in two days got to sea. 

I Avent to my state-room and indulged 
in a good drink, after which I returned 
to the deck in great hilarity of spirits. 



136 A Sailor's Experience. 

Meeting the first mate he inquired if I 
had still kept my resolution not to drink 
any more intoxicating liquor. 

" Oh, yes ! '' said I, '' I find it just as 
easy to go Avithout it, if any one really 
makes up his mind to do it ! " 

*'Well," says he, *a only wish that I 
could form a resolution to that effect and 
keep it, but I lack the stability." 

''You have just to make up your mind 
not to drink," said I, '' and if you do not 
OYcrcome the passion I'll present you 
with a quart wherewith you can renew 
your old pleasures." 

'' But," he replied, ''I am afraid that it 
will make me so nervous that I cannot do 
my duty; didn't it make you nervous 
when you first broke off" ? " 

''No, indeed," I answered, "such an 
idea is nonsensical." 



A Sailor's Experience, 137 

" But didn't you ever have the least 
desire/' interrogated the mate, ''to take 
a drop, when you met a friend, for in- 
stance ? " 

" Oh, yes," said I, *' I have often been 
tempted, but when I make up my mind to 
do a thing, nothing can influence or stay 
me in my determination." 

*'You must be a very resolute man," 
was the reply, "for I am pretty determin- 
ed myself, but drink is more powerful 
than my resolutions; however, as I did 
not bring any liquor on board, I shall join 
you on the temperance question, and 
when we arrive in New York we will have 
a cold-water spree ! " 

"• I am glad to hear you say so," I an- 
swered, *' and now since you have given it 
up, it will have a tendency to strengthen 
my own resolutions ; and I sincerely hope 



138 A Sailor's Experience. 

you will be braye enough to make a pro- 
fession of the doctrine you have deter- 
mined to pursue ! " 

*' So far, so good," said the mate ; ** but 
remember the quart you promised me if 
I should fall from this exalted position !" 

"All right,'* I replied ; *'you shall haye 
it;" and here we parted, he going for- 
ward to giye orders to the crew, while I 
went to my state-room to give the bot- 
tle one more pull in ratification of anoth- 
er amendment to the temperance ques- 
tion. 

In this manner did I deceive my friend, 
and he earnestly belieyed, as also did the 
captain, that I had fully abstained from 
drink. At this time it was a double pleas- 
ure for me to drink, for I would watch 
the first mate, and Could readily perceiye 
by his actions that to depriye himself of 



A Sailor's Experience. 139 

liquor was a punishment equal to impris- 
onment. I would observe him with quiet 
satisfaction for a few minutes, and then 
steal down to my comforter, and with the 
fuU consciousness that I was unobserved, 
take double delight with the ruinous bev- 
erage. This drinking in secret only in- 
creased my desire to visit the bottle more 
regularly, while the frequency of these 
visits was becoming more and more man- 
ifest in my face and manner. 

We had been out to sea three days, and 
on the morning of the fourth we expect- 
ed to be in New York. During the third 
day I had been very regular in my visits 
to the friendly gallon, and in consequence 
of said visits and my impure breath, I was 
detected in my deception, while in conver- 
sation with the captain, although he did 
not then inform me that he had observed 



140 A Sailor's Experience. 

my weakness. I returned to my room to 
indulge in another drink, while the cap- 
tain went and informed the first mate of 
my abstemious abilities. The mate came 
down to my state-room door, and looking 
through the key-hole, saw me taking a 
drink. This made him thirst at once for 
a similar decoction, and without farther 
ceremony he lifted the latch and entered 
the room. I was astonished, mortified, 
confounded ! '* What do you want ? '' I 
enquired, at the same time endeayoring to 
hide the glass. *' I want that quart of 
liquor you promised me,'' he replied. 

** I have no liquor here," said I. 

" Come, now, my friend, you are caught 
at last," he said ; *' I have been watching 
you through the key -hole for the last five 
minutes, but I should never have known 
that you had any liquor, but the captain 



A Sailor *s Experience. 141 

inhaled your breath while engaged in con- 
yersation with you this evening ; come 
now, old boy, bring out your good things 
and I will join you in the festivities ! " 

I felt that I was caught, and made no 
reply, but reaching under the bed, pro- 
duced the black bottle, and proceeded to 
drink away my mortification, the mate 
sharing it with me. The bottle proved to 
have a stronger constitution than either of 
us, for when we were al^oused by the skip- 
per the next morning, we were just glid- 
ing into New York harbor. 

This occurrence vms followed by a spree 
on shore ; and in a few days we had spent 
all our money, as usual, and were obliged 
to ship again. This time I went before 
the mast in a large ship bound to Bey 
Hee, Brazil. I now understood my na- 
ture so well, that I concluded that all my 



142 A Sailor's Experience. 

efforts to overcome the habit of intemper- 
ance were in yain, and I gave up all idea 
of ever again turning my attention toward 
a reformation of character. I went on 
board the ship with the determination to 
live on in the enjoyment of sinful pleas- 
ures, although such a course might cost 
me a life of suffering, or cause me to 
fill an early grave. These were solemn 
thoughts ! And to view them in their 
proper light, and analyze the circumstances 
from which they originated, would seem 
to have a tendency to enlist the sympathy 
of the most unfeeling heart, and awaken 
to life the generous impulses of the most 
stoic and prejudiced mind. 

I had read in ancient history of men 
being persecuted and put to death be- 
cause they would not adhere to doctrines 
of the Devil's dissemination ; but now, 



A Sailor's Experience. 143 

when persecution had long since ceased 
and those saints were at rest, I was in re- 
volt with my own nature, being its perse- 
cutor in the most barbaric manner. It 
was but a few weeks since I had listened 
to the eloquent discourse of the mission- 
ary at Chincha Islands, and with my head 
bent with sorrow and heart filled with an- 
guish, sincerely wished that I was a Chris- 
tian. Then the spirit of God was striving 
to subdue my evil nature. But oh, the 
ingratitude of my heart! When listen- 
ing to the man of God I wept, but when 
he departed my penitential sorrow ceased. 
Thus was I doomed to sufler all the an- 
guish to which the rebellious sinner is 
subject ; but still Grod, in mercy, permit- 
ted me to live on in this ungrateful state 
of mind. 

Having made one voyage to Brazil, I 



144 A Sailor's Experience. 

found little to interest me at this second 
visit. Nothing unusual occurred on our 
outward passage, but on our return home 
some of the crev/ rot into trouble in con- 
sequence of drink, which resulted in one 
man being severely wounded with a knife. 
On our arrival in New York the act was 
made known to the civil authorities, and I 
afterward learned that the perpetrator of 
the deed was convicted and sentenced to a 
number of years in the state prison. 

Once more in New York I thought I 
would write home. I had now been ab- 
sent from my parents nearly eight years, 
during which I had written them only 
four or five letters, and received but two 
in return, for I was never in one place long 
enough to get a direct answer. Of course 
I was ashamed to acknowledge my real 
condition, or even refer to my profligate 



A Sailor's Experience. 145 

life. In writing to my father I simply 
told him I was well and doing well, that T 
had seen a great deal of the world, and 
thought some of visiting home before 
long, etc., etc. I forwarded the letter and 
anxiously awaited an answer. While in 
New York this time, I did not get on a 
regular spree, but indulged in high living, 
which I enjoyed with a good appetite. 

A few days passed, and I received the 
desired letter from home. How eagerly I 
broke the seal and sought the name at the 
close of the epistle ; and how earnestly did 
I peruse those lines, which proved such a 
solace to my aching heart. My father in- 
vited, and my dear mother entreated me 
to come once more, if only to stay a few 
days. *'Come, my dear boy/' she said, 
** don't refuse your dear mother this com- 
fort." I sat a long time, thinking of 



146 A Sailor's Experience. 

mother and home, the tears falling fast, 
but all to no purpose: I had not the 
means to go home with now ; otherwise I 
might have been influenced by this letter 
to have accepted the invitation; but re- 
grets were useless, and I wrote again, 
promising that in a few months I would 
comply with their request and if possible 
remain at home for the future, etc. 



CHAPTER XII 



Voyage to New Orleans — A Storm — ^Desert Ship — Ship to Liverpool 
— ^Dissipation — Sail for Boston — A Fight — Our Arrival — Ship for 
Greenock, Scotland — Arrival — Promotion — Sail for Montreal, Can- 
ada — Man Lost Overboard— Eesolutions — A Spree — Lose my Sit- 
uation — Ship for New York — Sail for Glascow, Scotland — More 
Kmn — Sail for Montreal — Sickness — Return to Glascow — A Storm 
— Two Men Lost — Fall Overboard — Lose our Sail — Visit to Green- 
ock— Sail for Trinidad, West Indies— A Fight— Get Stabbed— Ee- 
torn to Greenock — Lnprisonment, etc. 



After reading my letter from home, 
resolved that I would now try and save 
money sufficient to clothe myself respecta- 
bly and bear my expenses home when I 
should once more return to New York. 
I now shipped before the mast in a large 
packet for New Orleans. The day we sail- 
ed the weather had a forbidding aspect, 
the sky being overcast with dark clouds, 
while the wind blew almost a hurricane. 



148 A Sailor's Experience. 

I was a little superstitious at that time, 
and it being Friday my fears were increas- 
ed by the strong winds which seemed to 
sweep with much greater force when we 
had reached the open sea. The rain now 
came down in torrents, the violence of 
the wind increased, while the darkness of 
night only served to make the scene more 
dreary as we tried to scan the black hori- 
son or gaze through the darkness which 
hung over that vast body of deep and 
surging waters. The captain was pacing 
the deck with anxious face, the mates 
were giving orders to the crew in appre- 
hension of the coming danger — for now it 
was evident that a violent storm would 
soon be upon us. The threatening as- 
pect of the heavens, the deafening thun- 
der, and sharp flashes of lightning that lit 
up the gloom from time to time, presented 



A Sailor's Experience, 149 

to our view a scene of the wildest magnif- 
icence and awful grandeur. 

The storm soon came. A heayy sea 
broke over the deck and carried us high 
upon those matchless waves, and anon the 
noble vessel would sink into the^ chasm of 
the deep, to be again buoyed up by the 
succeeding wave and wafted on her course, 
as if in defiance of the surging billows or 
the power which controlled their tempest- 
uous movements. 

As I stood at the wheel steering the 
noble craft, and thinking of my presenti- 
ment during the day, a feeling, not of 
fear, but of intense longing, seemed to 
oppress me ; a longing to be on shore, at 
home, where I could mingle once more 
with those I loved, and forget the dangers 
that surrounded me. But no! I was in 
mid-ocean, with no land in sight, while 



150 A Sailor's Experience. 

many a mile of dreary waste lay between 
home and me. The thought filled my eyes 
with tears. It was not fear, as I have said 
before, that caused these reflections ; it was 
the loneliness of the hour, the creaking of 
the ship — the dismal roll of the sea — the 
monotonous gloom — the thought of my 
friendless condition. I know that I was 
excited ; I thought of a thousand difier- 
ent things in a few minutes of time, for 
we were expecting every moment the ves- 
sel would swamp, notwithstanding she had 
done gallant service so far ; but it was a 
fearful night, and one long to be remem- 
bered by her crew. 

When I had been four hours at the 
wheel they were in duty bound to relieve 
me ; but the captain, who had been anx- 
iously watching my operations, begged me 
to remain at the wheel until the storm 



A Sailor's Experience. 151 

abated ; " for," said he, '' if I give the 
wheel to some of those * land-lubbers ' in 
the forecastle, we shall have to swim for 
it, for I don't belieye there is a man on 
board that could handle this ship more 
judiciously than you have to-night ! " He 
shortly after went below, and I was once 
more left alone, and again gave way to 
my gloomy forebodings and sad medita- 
tions, until the storm had passed, and I 
was relieyed from duty at the wheel. 

The stars began to appear, and seemed 
to sparkle with renewed brilliancy, a^ if 
exulting over our triumphant ride through 
the tempest, and to tell us of the com- 
ing of a brighter morrow. It was one 
o'clock in the morning, and I had been 
on duty about seven hours, and labored 
hard, for it is no easy task to steer a heavy 
ship through a gale of wind with a rough 



152 A Sailor's Experience. 

sea. After taking a light lunch, I went to 
bed and soon found rest in tranquil sleep. 

I was highly complimented on the fol- 
lowing morning, by the captain and mates 
for my conduct during the storm ; and all 
the crew greeted me with a grateful smile, 
as if indebted to me for their safety. I 
have often thought since, how singular it 
is that men, when unconverted, and in im- 
minent danger, will in nearly every instance 
attribute their deliverance, if spared, to 
some act or forethought of their own, and 
bui seldom to tlie providence of God. 

On our arrival at New Orleans the crew 
ran away, and consequently I received no 
compensation for my extra labor during 
the storm ; the caj)tain considering that I 
labored to save my own life as well as his. 
I had signed articles for a return voyage, 
but now made up my mind to leave the 



A Sailor's Experience. 153 

ship, which I accordingly did, removing 
my baggage to a boarding-house in a quiet 
part of the city. The ship was ready for 
sea again in a few days, but previous to 
his departure, the captain inserted an ad- 
vertisement in one of the city papers giv- 
ing my personal appearance, and desiring 
that I should be apprehended as a desert- 
er from his crew and ship. Hearing of 
this I kept myself well secluded, seldom 
issuing from my retreat during the day, 
until I was assured that he had sailed for 
New York. Then I once more made my 
appearance upon the stage of life, break- 
ing the air meanwhile with certain strong 
language, which was common to that pe- 
riod of my existence. Rejoicing to think 
that I had eluded the officers thus far, I 
proceeded to a rum-shop, where I exulted 
under the additional stimulus of liquor. 



154 A Sailor's Experience. 

I spent my money freely, and everybody, 
strangers of every kindred and tongue, 
were vrelcome to share in drink so long as 
my means afforded me the pleasure of in- 
viting them to do so. I soon became bois- 
terous; I danced and shouted long and 
loud, and seemed to be a general favorite 
with the company. While in this happy 
state, I had disposed of about sixteen dol- 
lars ; and again I invited all hands to take 
another *' smile; " again did I dive deep 
into my pocket for the wherewithal to 
liquidate my new-made debt, but lo ! my 
portmonnaie had changed hands; in vain 
did I look around the room for that nice 
young man with silk hat and patent-leath- 
er boots, whom I had insisted should take 
a drink with me only a few moments be- 
fore, while thinking him so very genteel 
and prepossessing. He had gone, and no 



A Sailor's Experience. 155 

doubt my pocket-book accompanied him. 
I immediately informed the landlord of 
my misfortune, but he only smiled at my 
perplexity, and in an insulting manner re- 
marked that " that game was played out, 
and I must pay for what I had ordered or 
he would put me where I would not have 
an opportunity to swindle again very 
soon ! " I denounced any intention on my 
part to swindle him, and getting ' warmed 
up' at the idea of such an accusation, I 
told that gentleman that I believed he 
was aware that I had lost my money, and 
further, that he would share a portion of 
it when I took my departure. At this 
point, a policeman, who was patroling his 
beat, hearing our high words, appeared 
upon the scene, and listened to both sto- 
ries delivered by the landlord and myself, 
nodding his assent or dissent, laughing 



156 A Sailor's Experience. 

first at the landlord's earnest delivery of 
speech, as he narrated the many impo- 
sitions and wrongs he had been forced to 
put up with from just such impostors as 
myself; then directing his attention to 
me, who was the while pleading with an 
eloquence, such as is produced by liquor, 
for the restoration of my money, and in 
contradiction of the landlord's statements. 
The officer remarked that he must be a 
little more careful in the future, then 
turned and inyited me to take a walk with 
him. We had proceeded but a little way, 
when he informed me of the character of 
that house ; and . said he did not doubt 
but the landlord knew where my money 
was, and who had robbed me : but as I 
had no proof, an arrest would be of little 
consequence. The landlord was an old 
conyict, haying been transported to Van 



A Sailor's Experience. 157 

Dieman's land a few years before, for theft 
which he committed in London : and his 
house was a resort for thieves and low 
characters, who frequented it for no other 
purpose than to take advantage of honest 
strangers or drunken sailors ; and advised 
me to keep away from that locality, and 
wishing me better luck for the future, he 
walked off leaving me to my reflections. 
I was now penniless again, and having 
no friends I was forced to look about for 
employment. I walked down to the levee 
but could find no chance for a berth, and 
with a sad heart, weary body, and an in- 
creasing desire to appease my appetite, I 
left the dock and was soon amid one of 
the crowds that ever throng the streets 
of a city. Night approaching, the darkness 
only increased my despair, and I continu- 
ed walking on, I knew not whither, until 



158 A Sailor's Experience. 

finally, becoming exhausted for want of 
food, I seated myself on a box which 
was standing opposite a large warehouse. 

Here my feelings gave way in a flood of 
tears, as now for the first time I was with- 
out a bed. Arousing myself, I thought I 
would go and beg for a lodging, or at least 
for something to eat ; but after a few min- 
utes' deliberation I resolved that I would 
not beg ; no, better to starve ! I could not 
humble my pride sufficiently to ask for 
food; yes, I would go without; and get- 
ting down from the box, I removed it to a 
more secure foundation, and crawling in- 
side I coiled myself in as small a compass 
as comfort would allow, and closed my 
eyes in sleep. 

I have often wondered that I did not 
resort to some desperate act by which I 
might have supplied my wants; but it 



A Sailor's Experience. 159 

seems that crime, blessed be God, was a 
seed that had never been implanted in my 
nature, although in the catalogue of my 
sins there may have been evils nearly and 
perhaps quite as bad, but yet not the re- 
sult of criminal intent. What a debt of 
gratitude I owe to my Heavenly Father 
for shielding me from vice, and through 
all my sin and wretchedness prolonging 
my life, and permitting me now to ac- 
knowledge my wrong, and enjoy his for- 
giveness and innumerable blessings. 

I awoke about six o'clock the next 
morning, and on opening my eyes I notic- 
ed a couple of gentlemen and a number 
of boys standing at a short distance and 
watching me with evident curiosity. I 
must confess that I felt ashamed to be 
seen in such an enclosure, and while mak- 
ing an effort to get out of my " abode of 



160 A Sailor's Experience. 

rest," the box tipped over and I was launch- 
ed upon the sidewalk. This of course 
added to my mortification, while it creat- 
ed merriment for the boys. I was soon on 
my feet, however, and without thinking 
to arrange my toilet, hastened out of their 
sight. 

I went directly to the docks, and soon 
found a chance to ship for Liverpool. 
I signed articles at once, and w^as given a 
good warm breakfast, and the following 
morning left New Orleans. We sailed in 
fair weather, which continued until we ar- 
rived in port, which we did in little more 
than one month's sail. On our arrival I 
had a good spree on shore, after which I 
shipped for Boston, before the mast, in a 
large merchant vessel. 

When nearing port a fight occurred on 
board, which came very near resulting in a 



A Sailor's Experience. 161 

general mutiny. The first officer had given 
orders to some of the crew, which not be- 
ing instantly obeyed, he manifested his 
brutality by knocking down several of the 
crew, with a mauline spike. He was 
finally subdued, however, after receiving a 
most outrageous beating, each one of the 
crew giving him a kick, which soon had 
the tendency to quiet his domineering 
spirit, and teach him that sailors are not 
without feeling, but entitled to humane 
treatment. 

We made the passage to Boston in fifty 
days, arriving there in the month of De- 
cember. While there I enjoyed myself 
in the exercise of skating, sleigh-riding, 
and rum-drinking, indulging in these rath- 
er expensive pastimes about two weeks, at 
the expiration of which time, suffering as 
usual from financial embarrassment, I was 



162 A Sailor's Experience. 

forced to ship again before the mast, this 
time for Greenock, Scotland. 

The first week out we met with several 
severe gales ; but meeting with no acci- 
dent we made our port of destination in 
thirty-six days. Having but little money 
due me for my services on the ship, I did 
not, for once, go on shore ; consequently I 
saved my means, and enjoyed an equanim- 
ity of mind incidental to sobriety. The 
second mate having left the ship, and my 
good conduct and recent abstemiousness 
having been noticed by the captain, I was 
at once permitted to fill the vacancy ; a po- 
sition for which I felt truly thankful, inas- 
much as it not only afforded facilities for 
better accommodations, but also an in- 
crease of salary. The ship being loaded, 
we weighed anchor and sailed for Mon- 
treal, Canada. 



A Sailor's Experience, 163 

When three days out to sea, we encoun- 
tered quite a severe gale, in which one 
man was washed overboard. Boats were 
lowered and manned, but the heavy sea 
baffled every effort we made to rescue the 
drowning man. It was heart-rending to 
stand and see the struggles of a fellow 
creature in the jaws of death, and hear 
his piercing cries, with no means at hand 
to save him from his awful doom. The 
poor fellow struggled manfully with the 
mighty waves for some time, but all to no 
purpose! He sank and rose again, but 
finally sank to rise no more, the waters 
closing over his lifeless body, and continu- 
ing their deafening roar, as if in exulta- 
tion at the consignment of another victim 
to their dark and mysterious depths. The 
sight filled my heart with sadness, and 
never can I forget the scene. 



164 A Sailor's Experience. 

I now held position as mate ; and I re- 
solved again to abstain from all intoxicat- 
ing drinks, and for the future pursue an 
entirely different course. My resolutions 
were kept until we reached the Quebec 
River. Here we were met by a tug-boat 
which propelled us up to Montreal. The 
captain of the tug invited me on board 
his boat, and once there he insisted that I 
should try a glass of ** half-an'-half," a bev- 
erage of which he was passionately fond. 
To be sociable, I joined him, and in the 
course of an hour, our sociability had be- 
come so closely allied by the frequency of 
our potations, that I forgot my own du- 
ties, regardless of the captain's presence, 
in a peaceful slumber in his large arm 
chair. When we reached Montreal I was 
paid off and discharged. I went on shore, 
and found the captain of the tug-boat. 



A Sailor's Experience. 165 

with whom I renewed ray spree, and for 
several days '* half- an' -half " was a com- 
mon mixture for the bar-tenders. 

My money gone, I shipped for New 
York in a large schooner, and on our arri- 
val I remembered the promise I had made 
myself to return home when I should vis- 
it that port again; but my means being 
squandered, I soon abandoned the idea, 
and after a brief carousal shipped for 
Glascow, as first officer of a large mer- 
chant ship. The captain of this craft was 
a confirmed drunkard, consequently liquor 
was plentiful during the entire passage. 
Two or three days before our arrival in 
port I was under fair headway for a gen- 
eral carousal on shore. Having arrived, I 
left the vessel, and after spending all my 
pocket-money I disposed of charts, sex- 
tant, and everything of value that I had 



166 A Sailor's Experience. 

in my possession, and with the proceeds 
continued my drunken spree ; and as the 
result of such profligacy was obliged to 
ship again before the mast in order to get 
out of the place. 

Again I shipped for Montreal, where I 
arrived in poor health, haying been taken 
sick on the passage. I was sent to a hos- 
pital; while there I had an opportunity 
to reflect on my past career, which I im- 
proved ; but at the end of three weeks I 
had recovered strength sufficient to go on 
board, and the vessel being ready to re- 
turn to Glascow I soon forgot the mercy 
of God in restoring me to health. During 
the return voyage we encountered a heavy 
gale. Two men were w^ashed from the 
wheel overboard ; the spars got adrift, and 
by their fall broke the leg of one of the 
crew, and also knocked me overboard; 



A bailor *s Experience, 1 6 T 

but fortunately I caught the main brace, 
and thus was once more miraculously 
sayed from a watery graye. The heavy 
seas had nearly filled the cabin and fore- 
castle with water, while our sails and main 
top -sail were carried entirely away. The 
night was bitter cold, it being mid-winter, 
consequently our sufferings were intense. 
The solemn promises I made that night, 
should I be deliyered from that terrible 
storm, were, as usual, forgotten the first 
fair day. Receiying my wages at Glascow, 
I left the ship and took a trip by rail to 
Greenock, where I remained a few days, 
when, meeting an old shipmate, I was 
persuaded to go on a yoyage to Trinidad, 
West Indies. 

I accordingly shipped in his compa- 
ny, and owing to the contrast in our dis- 
positions we managed with fighting and 



168 A Sailor's Experience. 

brawling to make everybody on board mis- 
erable. The Devil seemed to have com- 
plete sway over me in this ship, for I was 
either in trouble myself or continually 
getting others into difficulty. Fighting 
w^as a daily occurrence, while wrangling 
and disputing were looked upon as a 
pastime pleasure. 

On our passage home, while engaged in 
a fight, a friend of my opponent ran at 
me with a sheath-knife, and in defending 
myself from the attack, th« blade was run 
through the palm of my left hand, caus- 
ing a severe and painful wound. 

Reaching Greenock, the captain had me 
arrested for riotous conduct, and the next 
day I was committed to prison, to await 
trial, with a prospect of receiving a sen- 
tence of no less than ten years' imprison- 
ment. 



CHAPTER XIII 



Prison Life — ^Visit from Father BrocMe — My Prayers — The Dtmgeon 
— Second Visit from Father Brochie — My Conversion — A Pardon 
by the Queen — ^Visit to Liverpool — Letter of Ee commendation — 
Brother Craighton and Family — Extreme Happiness — Ship for 
Calcutta — My Persecutions — A Storm — Eeturn to Liverpool — Ke- 
sail — ^Vessel Springs a Leak — Faith in Jesus — Kingston Island — 
Discharge of the Crew — Beturn to Liverpool — Ship for Valparaiso 
— Conversion on Ship-board — Start a Prayer-meeting — Its Suc- 
cess — Our Arrival in Port — Ee-sail for Boston — Arrival, etc. , etc. 



While being conducted from the magis- 
trates' court to the prison, I kept a vigi- 
lant watch on both sides of the street, 
hoping to discover some avenue in which 
I might be likely to make my escape, pro- 
vided I should break away from the officer 
who had me in charge ; for my feelings 
were becoming more and more horrified 
as I contemplated the miseries connected 
with such a life of degradation ; more than 



170 A Sailor's Experience. 

once was I tempted to make a start and 
take the chances of a few pistol-shots ; 
but reflecting for a moment I foresaw that 
if wounded and taken, I shoiild be com- 
pelled to suffer not only imprisonment, but 
the pains of mortal agony occasioned by 
my rashness. The sufferings of my incar- 
ceration at Savannah forced themselves 
upon my burdened heart, and long be- 
fore we reached the prison, tears were 
falling thick and fast. 

As I n eared the gloomy edifice in which 
I was to be exiled from society, as I then 
thought, for a period of ten long years, a 
feeling of faintness oppressed me, which 
came near resulting in complete prostra- 
tion. I was in reality heart-sick, weak, 
and miserable; as I had eaten but very 
little while in the station-house, and the 
impure atmosphere, with no exercise, had 



A Sailor's Experience. 171 

nearly occasioned an attack of fever ; and 
now, in this weak and sickly condition, I 
must face the awful doom that awaited 
me. With a heart bursting with grief I 
slowly followed the officer up the great 
stone steps. He knocked at the heayy iron 
door, and we were at once admitted by a 
man whom I judged from his appearance, 
to be one of the prison-keepers. The 
officer passed to him my commitment pa- 
pers, and immediately took his leave. 

Once alone, I began to examine my fu- 
ture home with considerable interest, and 
I must confess that I was surprised to find 
in such a place the least air of comfort 
which might tend to cheer or inspire the 
inmate with contentment. My cell was 
about twelve feet in length by seven in 
width, with a ceiling about ten feet high ; 
the furniture was acceptable, but rather 



172 A Sailor's Experience. 

rude, consisting of a low stool and one old 
cliair, a pail for fresh water and one for 
slops, a tin wash-dish, soap, towel and a 
broom ; my bed was a tick of straw with 
blankets, suspended in the same manner 
as a hammock, which was taken down 
eyery morning, packed neatly together, 
and taken out of the cell. The apartment 
was ventilated by a small window in the 
rear, about eight feet from the floor, and 
closely barred, which afforded the only 
means of light. Each cell was warmed 
by a heater, hence the cold was no obsta- 
cle to comfort. 

I observed these things in a much shorter 
space of time than it has taken me to de- 
scribe them, but I wished to convey some 
idea of my situation and surroundings, 
leaving the reader to judge as to my con- 
tentment. There was no way in which I 



A Sailor's Experience. 173 

could see out of doors, for my window 
was so high, that I had no facilities for 
reaching it, and if I had, the wall enclos- 
ing the prison, some twenty feet in height, 
would have proyed an obstacle in check- 
ing my range of vision. My cell door 
was so constructed that I could neither 
see nor talk through it; consequently a 
small looking-glass would have proved a 
most favorable auxiliary by way of com- 
panionship, but not having such an article, 
I was obliged to content myself with what 
I had already fallen heir to, and live in 
hope of seeing my face at some future pe- 
riod during the present century. 

The walls were covered with inscrip- 
tions of pencil-writing and hieroglyphics, 
with the initials of different occupants 
carved in the floor, while here and there, 
in crooked letters, short effusions of poetry 



174 A Sailor's Experience. 

denoted the talent that had from time to 
time inhabited the cell. 

My dinner was soon passed in by the 
turnkey, through the door, and on behold- 
ing the meal I regarded it with a degree 
of astonishment. It consisted of a dish 
of soup with a slice of rye bread. I re- 
flected upon this allowance, and concluded 
that with such fare my sentence would 
be cut short by starvation. I could bear 
confinement, but the idea of being starved 
to death was more than I could endure. 

Now I began to realize that my prison- 
life had commenced, I was far from home 
and friends, in a land foreign to my birth 
and language, suffering the tortures of 
mind in solitary confinement, with none 
to cheer or comfort me ; and with these 
reflections I wept bitterly. 

After a few days I was visited by an 



A Sailor's Experience. 175 

aged clergyman, who was in the habit of 
visiting the prisoners once a week to offer 
spiritual comfort to such as manifested a 
willingness to listen. This dear old pa- 
triarch was familiarly known as Father 
Brochie. He was immediately admitted 
to my cell; and his coming seemed like a 
sunbeam to my heart, for I longed for 
companionship — for some one to conyerse 
with. His venerable appearance alone, to 
say nothing of his charitable mission, was 
well calculated to command respect. 

I extended to him my only chair, in 
which he seated himself, and immediately 
introduced the subject of my souFs salva- 
tion. He quoted a few extracts from the 
Bible, and exhorted me to refrain from 
the downward course I had been pursu- 
ing; inquired the cause of my impris- 
onment, and where my parents resided; 



176 A Sailor's Experience. 

and after learning my situation, lie ex- 
pressed an interest in my welfare, and af- 
ter praying long and earnestly witli me, 
presented me with some reading -matter, 
and took his departure, leaying me to my 
own reflections. 

The aged saint had gone, but he had 
left a thorn in my heart which deeply 
wounded me ; my whole life came up be- 
fore me, and the thought of my wretched 
condition oyerpowered me. I tried to 
read the word of God and to pray, but 
every word seemed to increase my con- 
demnation. Haying been for seyeral days in 
agony of mind, one night my loud pray- 
ing attracted the attention of the night- 
watchman in the prison, who came to my 
cell, and ordering me to follow him, led 
me down to the dungeon, in which place 
I was kept until morning, *' because," as 



A Sailor's Experience. 177 

he said, " your voice is too strong for my 
ear." On being returned to my cell I 
was told to confine my prayers, if I 
thought they would be of any account, 
within the limits of my present boundary. 
I had been in my cell perhaps half an 
hour, when I received a second visit from 
the dear old servant of God. I related 
to him the incident of the preceding 
night, when he replied with his eyes filled 
with tears, "Well, my son, we must ex- 
pect to suffer persecution if we hope to gain 
eternal rest ! " In reply to his earnest en- 
quiry, I told him of the sense of my lost 
condition, and my anxiety to become a 
Christian. He opened to my mind the 
way of life through Jesus Christ ; spoke 
of our Savior's love for sinners, and his 
willingness to save all that believe and ask 
in faith, and left me with the assurance 



178 A Sailor's Experience, 

that if I would but seek God in prayer, 
I should soon receive comfort, and the 
hope of life eternal. 

I began to think that there was still a 
ray of hojoe even for me, provided I 
sought it now. The words of the aged 
Father had served to strengthen my weak 
faith, while his expressive tenderness was 
so manifest during his brief exhortation, 
I could not refuse to yield, and believe 
that Christ not only came into the world 
to save sinners, but that all who would 
believe on him should find peace and hap- 
piness. I wept for joy, that a poor mis- 
erable sinner like me might have hope of 
eternal rest. I prayed long and fervently, 
trusting and believing that God would 
bless me at last. 

Now that I had found my Savior, 
though in a prison-cell, my heart was 



A Sailor's Experience. 179 

lighter, and things that once looked dark 
and gloomy, now wore a brighter aspect, 
while the frequent visits of my dear old 
friend, Father Brochie, were looked for- 
ward to with greater joy than oyer. I 
had now been in prison some nine weeks, 
the last seyen of which I had spent in the 
seryice of the Lord. I was happy. I real- 
ized that God had blessed me spiritually, 
and yiewed my imprisonment as the in- 
strumentality of my salyation. I looked 
upon my prison-life as the result of a ca- 
reer of profligacy and dissipation, seldom 
equaled in the priyate history of any indi- 
yidual; and how plainly yisible now, was 
the proyidence of God during those days 
of darkness. 

I appealed to the Lord in prayer to 
raise up friends that I might once more 
be liberated to share the enjoyments of 



180 A Sailor's Experience. 

freedom, — more especially of home and 
friends ; and while thus pleading for my 
deliyerance, I was, by the grace of God, 
set free ; being pardoned by the Queen at 
London, and an order was issued for my 
immediate release, which I received with 
a heart grateful to God. 

So great was my joy at the thought of 
liberation, that I scarcely noticed the pris- 
on-keepers sufficiently to say ''Good-bye;" 
but with a heart made light with gladness, 
and a sense of God's goodness, I passed 
out of the prison-doors to enjoy the bless- 
ings granted me in answer to my heartfelt 
prayers. I had not gone far when I met 
Father Brochie ; the reader may well im- 
agine his joy and astonishment on behold- 
ing me a free man ; I saw in his counte- 
nance what he was thinking about, and I 
said, **Good Father, no doubt you are 



A Sailor's Experience. 181 

surprised to see me here, but God saw fit to 
liberate me — the Queen sending a pardon 
this morning, and an order for my imme- 
diate release/' The good old man, with 
tearful eyes, replied; '* The Lord did cer- 
tainly bless our prayers temporally and 
spiritually; now, my brother, come with 
me/' I followed him down to his chapel, 
which we entered, and after a season of 
prayer, he wrote me a letter of recom- 
mendation to Brother Craighton, of Liver- 
pool, whither I was going. With his best 
wishes I set out, that afternoon, by steam- 
er, for the above port, which I reached in 
safety, and having found Bro. Craighton, I 
was invited to share the hospitalities of 
his home and family, which were grateful- 
ly accepted. 

After a few days of enjoyment such as I 
had never before known, I shipped before 



182 A Sailor's Experience. 

the mast for Calcutta. As I went on 
board I prayed for grace that I might 
prove to my shipmates, by open profession, 
that I was a true follower of Jesus. I im- 
mediately informed them of my new ex- 
perience, and my great happiness. Some 
scoffed, others listened attentively ; but 
thanks be to God, I felt comforted. 

One evening, encountering a heavy gale 
of wind, we lost our mainmast. It was a 
terrible night, the sea running very high, 
and knowing that our ship was at the 
mercy of the waves, every heart was filled 
with fear. My unconverted shipmates 
trembled and cried for mercy, but I felt 
safe in God's protection. 

The following day, the storm having 
abated, we rigged a jury mast and sailed 
back to Liverpool for repairs. These com- 
pleted, we started again ; but soon after we 



A Sailor's Experience. 183 

reached the Channel, the ship sprung a 
leak, which obliged the crew to pump 
night and day in dread apprehension of 
the Yessel's going to the bottom. It was 
while in this alarming condition that my 
shipmates longed for a trust in God, and 
some of their number, I could perceive by 
their actions, would have given a thousand 
worlds, had they possessed them, to have 
had the same glorious hope that I experi- 
enced. But the Lord heard my prayers, 
the wind changed, and we landed at 
Kingston, Ireland. 

The ship being docked for repairs, the 
crew were discharged, and I returned to 
Liverpool where I shipped before the mast 
on a voyage to Valparaiso. While in Liv- 
erpool I was often tempted to share the 
pleasures of rum and ruin, but thank God, 
I did not yield. Through grace I was kept, 



184 A Sailor's Experience. 

and was still determined, while surround- 
ed by evil influences, to show my colors, 
that my shipmates might know whom I 
served. 

We sailed for Swansea, where we took 
in coal, and also shipped another man. 
While loading our vessel, this young man, 
whose mother had heard of my being a 
Christian, by means unknown to myself, 
sent for me and earnestly entreated me to 
labor for her son's salvation. I promised 
to do what I could for him, and I left her 
well assured. 

When well out to sea, persecutions 
commenced ; but with unwavering faith I 
determined by God's grace to hold fast 
my hope. One day on hearing one of the 
crew relate a filthy story to some of his 
mates, I aj)proached him and asked if he 
thought the remembrance of conversation 



A Sailor's Experience. 185 

like that would giye him peace in a dying 
hour. He did not reply, but the next 
morning he came to me and said, " What 
shall I do to be sayed? I am a great 
sinner, and want to be made happy ! " I 
pointed him to **the Lamb of God, who 
taketh away the sins of the world." He 
requested me to pray for him. This gave 
me great encouragement; and in the 
course of a few days another soul was 
saved. I now began to pray for the young 
man from Swansea. I talked long and 
earnestly with him, but seemingly all in 
vain. One night in a heavy gale, I was 
strongly impressed to pray ; I went under 
the top-gallant forecastle, and there pour- 
ed out my soul in prayer to God for this 
young man, that the prayers of his pious 
mother might be answered — that he might 
seek and find the Savior. 



186 A Sailor's Experience. 

The next morning, after washing down 
decks, I was impressed to speak to Harry. 
I asked him if he did not think that he 
had seryed the Devil long enough ! He re- 
plied, — " Oh, if you knew how miserable 
I feel ! I know that I am lost ! I was 
under the top-gallant forecastle last night 
when I dreamed that I was about to fall 
into the bottomless pit ; I was so frighten- 
ed that I awoke ; and I then heard some 
one praying for me. I thought I must 
be an awful wretch, if any one could 
pray so earnestly for me. I know," he 
continued, "that it must have been you, 
and I want you to continue to pray for 
me, that the Lord will pardon my sins." 

That very evening he came into the 
forecastle, and in the presence of his ship- 
mates, fell upon his knees and prayed 
most earnestly, finding peace and pardon. 



A Sailor's Experience. 187 

''Oh," said he, **my dear mother's prayers 
are answered at last." This manifestation 
of the grace of God strengthened me to 
go on, for I saw that the Lord was with 
me, and blessed mv labors. 

Haying arrived at Valparaiso, we sailed 
down the coast and loaded with copper 
ore, after which we sailed for Boston. The 
first eyening out to sea, I was greatly bur- 
dened, and asked the Lord in prayer, to 
manifest the cause ; the result was a deep 
impression upon my mind that I must 
start a prayer-meeting on board ! I went 
directly to the forecastle to consult my 
shipmates in reference to the project. 
Here I was confronted by one, a Roman 
Catholic, who was yery much opposed to 
me. My courage failed, and I hesitated. 
He looked at me, and noticing my confu- 
sion, enquired, *' What is the matter with 



188 A Sailor's Experience, 

you? for,'* said he, **you always seem to 
be so happy ! '' In answer I related my in- 
tention to start a prayer-meeting, and add- 
ed, "I do not think it will be too great an 
inconyenience for us to assemble together 
once every day to thank God for his good- 
ness to us. We are homeward bound, yet 
we do not know that we shall ever reach 
our port of destination; and are we all 
prepared, provided the ship should go 
down, to meet our God ? " " I have no 
desire to discourage your good intentions, 
shipmate," said the Catholic, *'but if you 
will start a meeting of this kind, I, for one, 
will be with you." 

These manly, outspoken words, lifted a 
weight from my heart. The meeting was 
opened by reading a portion of Scripture, 
and followed by prayer. All united in 
singing praises to God, arid in heartfelt 



A Sailor's Expe?ie?2ce. 189 

thanksgivings,which were manifestations of 
grateful feeling by no means discreditable 
to those rough sons of the ocean ! It was 
a blessed night — one long to be remember- 
ed. The Catholic, of whom I was so 
much afraid, was one of the first to give 
his heart to the Savior. The first officer 
of the shijD came into the forecastle and 
united with us in prayer ; and said that he 
was glad to see so many of us striving to 
serve God ; and bade us go on in our good 
work ; "for," said he, *' the captain loves 
a Christian sailor, and the Lord loves to 
see them converted." 

From that time we had meetings regu- 
larly, and the Lord blessed them to us, — 
two-thirds of the crew being converted, 
— three of the converts having been Ro- 
man Catholics. Everything went on very 
pleasantly ; no grumbling and quarreling, 



190 A Sailor's Experience. 

but peace and harmony reigned through- 
out the ship. Arriving in Boston Harbor 
we were paid off and discharged. I now 
began to more fully realize the complete 
change which was the result of my em- 
bracing the Christian religion ; — the haunts 
of sin, which were formerly so tempting, 
having lost their charms and become re- 
pulsive to me ; — and accordingly I sought 
society very different from that I had 
been accustomed to choose when on shore 
in gone-by days. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Start for Chicago — Exhortation — Arrival — Leave Chicago for Gene- 
va — Arrival at Home — Work at Blacksmithing — Marriage — Ke- 
move to Galesburg, Illinois — Join the Union Army — Marching 
Orders — Banks' Command — Our Supplies Captured — Eetreat to 
Little Eock, Arkansas — A Fight — Dead and Wounded — Exhaus- 
tion — Hospital — Kecovery — Start a Prayer-Meeting — The Sick — 
Yisit Home — ^Discharge from the Service — Removal to Chicago — 
Join the Police — Death in my Family — Eesign from the Police 
Force — Eemove to Porter Station, Indiana — Build a Blacksmith 
Shop — Sell out to my Father — Eetum to Chicago — Again Join 
the Police — A Thief — His Capture, etc. 



I remained in Boston five days, boarding 
at the Mariner's House in North Square. 
This being the first boarding-house I 
had oyer known where sailors were invit- 
ed to take part in a prayer-meeting, I 
was somewhat surprised. I was re-assured 
however, by the well-knowTi superintend- 
ent, Bro. N. Hamilton, who kindly invited 
me to participate in the exercises. I 



192 A Sailor *s Experience. 

continued to visit these meetings eyery 
morning and eyening while in Boston, and 
felt as often refreshed. 

I finally made up my mind to yisit home. 
It had been nearly ten years since I left it, 
and now, haying means to defray my ex- 
penses, and haying furnished myself with 
a plenty of good clothes, I purchased a 
ticket for Chicago. It was with a light 
heart that I took my seat on the train 
that was to bear me to meet the loyed 
ones at home ; feeling a confidence within 
that God would suffer me to reach it in 
safety. I was so happy now, in Jesus' 
loye, and so grateful for what he had done 
for me in rescuing me from the depths of 
misery into which I had fallen, that it was 
with great self-sacrifice that I refrained 
from shouting the name of Jesus in the 
ears of eyery passenger ! I told eyery one 



A Sailor's Experience, 193 

with whom I came in contact, what Jesus 
had done for me ! and on one occasion, I 
had quite a crowd gathered around me 
Hstening to my recital of incidents of my 
past hfe, while at the same time I exhort- 
ed them to repentance. 

In due time I reached Chicago, where I 
changed cars, purchasing another ticket 
for Geneva, which was about thirty miles 
distant, whither my parents had moved 
about nine years previous. Having arrived 
at Geneva, I enquired of a lady if she 
could direct me to the residence of my 
parents, which she immediately pointed 
out to me, the house being visible from 
the spot where we were standing. Thank- 
ing the lady, I set out at full speed for the 
house, which I managed to keep in sight ; 
and crossing a bridge which spanned the 
Fox River, on the banks of which lies this 



194 A Sailor's Experience. 

picturesque little town, I was within a few 
rods of home. 

There is something connected with the 
word '' Home," that thrills the soul at the 
sound; and when, after an absence such 
as mine, one is about to step upon the 
threshold, the very nearness fills the heart 
with quick pulsations, and reflects upon 
the mind everything that is chaste, loving, 
and afiectionate. 

It was a happy moment when I knock- 
ed at the door, for I was soon to meet the 
faces that I loved, and hear a thrilling 
welcome. My mother came to the door — 
but I was a stranger ! She did not recog- 
nize me, but when she heard my voice, 
" Mother, do you not know me — your own 
son ? " she sprang toward me, and throw- 
ing her arms around my neck, exclaimed, 

** My boy, — at last ! at last ! " 



A Sailor's Experience. 195 

While my mother stood weeping tears 
of joy at my unexpected return, I dis- 
engaged myself from her embrace, and 
sought my father, in the shop where 
he was at work. He welcomed me most 
affectionately, but his surprise was so great 
that he could scarcely speak. When he 
could sufficiently control his emotions, he 
remarked, "I hope now, you will remain 
at home." 

I explained away my faults of the past 
the best way I could, and presented my 
case before them in the light of the re- 
turned prodigal; and they listened with 
interest and satisfaction. The joy they 
manifested on hearing from my own lips 
the history of my conversion was such as 
none but Christians could appreciate. 

In a few days, my brother and sisters, 
who had been some time from home, 



196 A Sailor's Experience. 

returned, and the sorrow which had so 
long chilled each heart was now dispelled, 
and happiness was complete in our family 
group. 

After a few days I obtained a situation 
and went to work at my trade as black- 
smith ; having gained some knowledge of 
that business previous to our emigration 
to America. During this time I courted 
and married my present wife. I remained 
with my father until Fall, when I remov- 
ed to Galesburg, an enterprising town sit- 
uated on the Burlington Railroad, about 
one hundred and sixty miles southwest of 
Chicago. Here I found work at my trade, 
and received fair wages for my labor ; but 
getting the war fever, so prevalent at that 
time, (1864,) I joined the Union Army as 
high private. I now left my wife at her 
father's, and with a patriotic determination 



A Sailor's Experience. 197 

to fight in the country's battles, I set out 
with my company to join a regiment un- 
der Gen. Steele at Little Rock, Arkansas. 
Three days after our arrival, we were or- 
dered to march on the Red River expedi- 
tion. On this march we had many hard- 
ships and privations to endure, and at last 
reached Camden, near the Red River. We 
took possession of that place, but the en- 
emy capturing our supply-trains, we were 
obliged to retreat to Little Rock, which 
we did, suffering for want of food. 

As we came to Princetown we learned 
that a detachment of the rebels were ly- 
ing between us and the Sabine River, 
which we were intending to cross. Ac- 
cordingly we made preparations to meet 
them, and the following morning started 
on. About two o'clock in the afternoon the 
rebels fired into our lines. We returned 



198 A Sailor's Experience. 

their shots, and succeeded in routing them. 
A couple of hours later we came to a halt 
in a low swamp near the riyer. 

We had but a short time to think of 
our trying position, when we received a 
second shower of bullets from a party of 
the enemy lying in ambush. A short skir- 
mish ensued, in which they were driven off, 
but we were obliged to lie upon our arms 
all night in the rain, which fell in torrents. 

At four o'clock the next morning we 
received orders to cross the river, and as 
we reached the pontoon bridge, the shells 
and bullets came pouring in upon us. 
Our supplies having all been consumed, 
we were compelled to fight in almost a 
starving condition. The battle lasted un- 
til two o'clock in the afternoon, when we 
retired from the field, leaving upward ol 
one thousand killed and wounded. 



A Sailor *s Experience. 199 

Since joining the army I had disregard- 
ed my religious duties, growing cold and 
indifferent. But amid the dangers I wa'S 
constantly exposed to, I began to reflect 
upon my critical position, and promised 
the Lord that if I but escaped the perils 
of that battle, I would do my duty as a 
Christian. The battle over we crossed the 
river, and I felt sad and unhappy to see so 
many of our comrades left behind in such 
a state of suffering and death ; but the 
rebels held the ground and we were forced 
to forsake them. 

The main body of our corps, the sev- 
enth, commanded by Gen. Steele, march- 
ed that night until twelve o'clock; but 
about nine, I sank down, and it was dis- 
covered that my weakness was the result 
of my having burst a blood-vessel during 
the over-exertions of the day. One of 



200 A Sailor's Experience. 

my comrades now stepped out of the lines, 
and helping me into an ambulance, I was 
carried back to Little Rock, with others 
who were sick and wounded. Here I was 
confined to my bed some two weeks, but 
at the end of the third I had recovered 
sufficiently to return to duty. 

While in the hospital, I received a let- 
ter from my dear wife announcing the 
birth of a son, and desiring me to return 
home, as soon as convenient ; but as I 
could not get a furlough just then, I was 
obliged to decline the invitation for the 
time. 

On returning to duty in camp, I felt a 
strong impression to start a prayer -meet- 
ing among the soldiers, which I did, al- 
though I met with opposition from sever- 
al, and suffered the scoffs and persecutions 
incident to a follower of Christ. Yet the 



A Sailor's Experience. 201 

Lord was with me, and soon a number 
were converted. 

One morning I visited the Regimental 
Hospital, where I observed a member of 
my company lying at the point of death. 
On approaching his bedside I asked him if 
he felt that he was ready to die. He 
commenced to weep, and replied, " No ! '' 
and requested me to pray for him that he 
might live to see his dear old mother once 
more. I kneeled beside his cot and pray- 
ed, after which he seemed more cheerful. 
On taking my leave, I promised to come 
again in a few days. I now requested the 
members of our prayer -meeting to pray 
for this young man, and our petitions 
were heard, he being restored to health in 
a few days. 

He had been out of the hospital two or 
three days, when he came into my tent 



202 A Sailor's Experience. 

and asked me if he could not remain, 
*' for " said he, *' they are always playing 
cards, cursing and swearing, where I stay, 
and I don't like it/' He had found the 
Lord precious to his soul. 

I granted him permission to remain; 
but he was taken sick that night, and re- 
turned to the hospital. The next morn- 
ing he sent for me, and as I came up to 
his little cot, his countenance seenied to 
wear an uncommonly bright expression. 
I asked him if he was afraid to die. He 
smiled through his tears, and replied, " No, 
my brother, all is well ; I shall soon be 
with our blessed Jesus." I asked if he 
would like to see his mother before he 
died. " Oh, no ; I shall meet her in that 
happy land ; write to my poor mother, and 
tell her that I fell asleep in Jesus ! " 

A few moments before he died he 



A Sailor's Experience. 203 

seemed like one in a trance, but shortly 
recoyered, and lifting up his hands, ex- 
claimed : *' Oh, how glorious it is in Heav- 
en ! " and immediately sank into a deep 
slumber, from which he never awoke. I 
wept with joy to know that he had found 
' the Pearl of Great Price. 

As I was about leaving the hospital, my 
attention was directed to another member 
of my company who was lying sick in bed, 
and who beckoned me to him. He was 
about thirty-five years of age, quite intel- 
ligent, but one of the worst blasphemers 
I had ever known. I had often warned 
him to refrain from profanity, but he only 
scoffed at what he called my fear of death. 
But now a change had come over him, 
and he requested me to pray for him; 
'' for I feel," said he, '' that if I should 
die now, I should be eternally lost ! " I 



204 



A Sailor's Experience. 



grantod his request, and he was made, a 
subject of prayer in our meetings. 

He soon recovered and returned to camp, 
but neyer came to meeting. One day, 
while walking through the camp, I heard 
him cursing a comrade in a most shocking 
manner. I stepped up to him and asked 
if he still remembered the yows he had 
made on his sick bed in the hospital. 
" That's all right," he replied ; '' I know 
what I am doing!'* I left him; but only 
two days had passed, when he was again 
seized with a severe fit of sickness, in 
which he suffered with violent spasms, and 
his agony of mind was so great that he 
eried aloud — *' I am lost I damned ! " 

Thus it was that one more soul went 
down to perdition, acknowledging to those 
witnessing the sad spectacle, that his fear- 
ful doom was' the result of his turning a 



A Sailor's Experience, 205 

deaf ear to the overtures of God's mercy. 
Think, dear reader, what a fearful thing 
it is to fall into the hands of the Hying 
God! 

y^e had another man in our company 
who did all in his power to oppose our 
meetings, ridiculing our prayers, and offer- 
ing insults ; but at last he was stricken 
down by sickness, and it was an awful 
sight to witness that man struggling with 
death, and nothing to hope for but eternal 
damnation ! He cried out, " O God, have 
mercy ! '' But he could have no hope. He 
died the death of the wicked ! 

The wife of one of our soldiers was 
with him in the camp, and while here she 
was taken with a severe fever, which re- 
sulted in her death. A little before she 
died, and while in a convalescent state, I 
visited her at her cabin, and enquired if 



206 A Sailor's Experience. 

she loved Jesus. She rephed that she had 
once been a professor of rehgion, but had 
backslidden, and did not feel confident 
of being saved, should she be called to 
leave the world. '*No," said she, **I ^m 
not prepared to die ; I want you to pray 
for me ; " and she wept like a child. 

I took my Bible and read to her such 
portions as would suit her case, and pray- 
ed for her, during which she manifested 
considerable emotion. The next time I vis- 
ited her she said, " Oh, I am so glad that 
you have come again ; for those promises 
you read to me yesterday have done me 
so much good ! Will you please read to me 
again from that blessed book — for I feel 
the good Lord is blessing me ! *' I read 
and prayed with her, and when I ceased 
she exclaimed, *' Glory to God ! I can now 
die in peace ; I have found my Savior ! " 



A Sailor's Experience. 207 

The next day she died, praising God with 
her last breath. 

While laboring thus for the salvation of 
others, I was finally taken sick myself, 
and was sent to the Regimental Hospital ; 
but my affliction proving to be of a serious 
nature, I was transferred to Mount City 
Hospital, that I might receive more skill- 
ful treatment. While there I suffered the 
pain of a severe surgical operation, and on 
partially recovering, having been absent 
from home eight months, I applied for a 
furlough, which was granted me. 

I arrived at home safely, and found my 
wife and child in good health. Before 
the expiration of my furlough of thirty 
days, I was attacked with typhoid fever, 
and in consequence an additional thirty 
days was granted me. At the end of tliis 
time I again set out for the army in rather 



208 A Sailor's Experience, 

delicate health, which resulted finally in 
my discharge for disability, haying been 
in the service thirteen months. 

I rejoiced to know that I was once more 
a free man, and returned home, where I 
remained a short time ; but the times be- 
ing dull, I removed to Chicago, where I 
received an appointment on the police 
force. Being naturally rather bold and 
resolute, I very soon acquired considerable 
prominence among the local authorities, 
by detection and enforcement of my duty, 
and my name was not unfamiliar to rogues 
and thieves who were often seen to scam- 
per at my approach. 

I soon began to fail in health, in con- 
sequence of constant exposure, and my 
physician advised me to drink porter or 
beer to impart strength to my system. I 
was reluctant to do this, but between the 



A Sailor 's Experience. 209 

doctor and the Deyil I was influenced to 
try it. 

While in Chicago we lost our little boy. 
Haying laid him in the graye, my wife 
persuaded me to leaye the city. I had 
improyed in health, and was also getting 
to think more fayorably of the prescrip- 
tion, for such medicine had a tendency to 
ignite the old flame; but reflecting that 
the consequences might proye fatal to 
both health and character, I resigned from 
the police force, and remoyed to Porter 
Station, a small town in Indiana, thirty 
miles east of Chicago. 

At this place I built a blacksmith-shop, 
and went to work at my trade again ; but 
I labored under the conyiction that it was 
not the work that the Lord desired me to 
do ; for from the time my soul was con- 
yerted I had felt a growing desire to work 



210 A Sailo7''s Experience, 

as a missionary ; but like Jonah I did not 
follow the leading of the Spirit. I re- 
mained here for one year, when I sold out 
to my father, and returned to Chicago, 
and again joined the police force. 

The day I was sworn in I was sent out 
to *'Avork up" a case of burglary which 
had been committed the night previous in 
a store on Clark street. I went down to 
the store, and from observations judged 
that there must have been at least four 
persons concerned in the robbery. On 
leaving the storCj I saw standing on the 
opposite side of the street, a man whom 
I knew to be a thief. He was a suspicious 
character, and had gained considerable no- 
toriety by being successful in perpetrating 
little tricks and thus far eluding justice. 
I walked up the street, and concluded to 
keep an eye on this '' flash " gentry ; — 



A Sailor's Experience, 211 

presently he was joined by a well-dressed 
companion, whom I soon surmised to be 
of the same profession. They started 
down Clark street, talking and laughing 
about something which considerably puz- 
zled me, but which caused them consider- 
ble merriment. I followed them, walking 
pretty fast, and haying a pair of rubbers 
over my boots I managed to keep near 
enough to OA^erhear a few words of their 
conversation, which led me to belieye they 
were connected with the recent robbery 
in Clark street. I did not make the ar- 
rest at once, for I wished to find out 
where the goods were concealed. Turn- 
ing out of Clark street, they passed into a 
saloon on VanBuren street, which I judged 
from its external appearance, to be a gen- 
eral resort for thieves. 

I now missed my revolver, which I had 



212 A Sailor's Experience, 

forgotten, and while deliberating whether 
to go and get it before arresting them, one 
of them came out of the saloon remarking 
to his companion who was standing in the 
door, that he was a little * fly ' to that 
Clark street ' crack,' and he guessed that 
he would take the * donkeys ' out of them 
for a few days. I put my hand on his 
shoulder, and informed him that I would 
board him and his friend for a few days, 
and save them the trouble and expense of 
leaying town. They were both very in- 
dignant, and protested that ''they were 
gentlemen ! " I did not doubt but that 
such was the case, but neyertheless, that 
would not prevent me from doing my 
duty. 

I took them to the lock-up, and return- 
ed to the saloon, where I hoped to find 
the proprietor ; but haying discovered that 



A Sailor's Experience. 213 

his 'Opals'* were arrested, lie had locked 
Tip his den and cleared out. Going to the 
rear of his saloon I forced open a shutter 
and entered. In a room adjoining that of 
the bar, I found three large dray -loads of 
stolen goods, consisting of lead pipe, hard- 
ware, cloths, silks, calicoes, ready-made 
clothing, shawls, a great yariety of rib- 
bons, etc. After making this discovery I 
closed the window carefully, and awaited 
the return of the proprietor. It was ten 
o'clock at night, and still he did not ap- 
pear ; but being confident that he would 
come to remoye the goods that night, I 
seated myself on a box, and patiently wait- 
ed in the dark, for his coming. A couple 
of hours later, I heard yoices outside, and 
presently I saw a man endeayoring to 
push up the window. I knew it was the 
saloon-keeper, and kept perfectly quiet. 



214 A Sailor's Experience, 

He raised the window and called for the 
men I had already arrested ; but receiving 
no answer, he crawled through the win- 
dow. He came directly toward me, and I 
sprang and caught him by the collar, but 
his coat giving way, he jumped out of the 
windoAv and ran as if for life. I followed 
him closely, and succeeded in catching him 
by the collar again, when he fell headlong. 

Taking him to the lock-up, I confined 
him and his confederates each in a sepa- 
rate cell. The saloon-keeper finally con- 
fessed that the others, with the assistance 
of some kindred spirits, had committed 
the Clark street robbery, and that he had 
bought the goods, and also those obtained 
by various other robberies. The burglars 
were tried and convicted, and sentenced 
for a number of years to the state prison. 

I received many congratulations from 



A Sailor's Experience. 215 

the merchants ; and but for my dislike for 
the office, could have been made a detect- 
ive. I made several other important ar- 
rests, and rendered good service to the 
citizens ; but getting tired of such a life, I 
finally resigned, and removed to Galesburg, 



CHAPTER XV. 

Nursery Business — Sickness — Go to Chicago — ^Keturn — ^Bnild a 
House — Elected to the Office of Assistant Marshal — Trouble in 
the Family — Move Eum — Build a Vinegar Factory — Failure — A 
Dutch Partner — Leave Home — Arrival in New York — Meet a Mis- 
sionary — Prayer-Meeting — Preach in my Boarding House — Get 
Put Out by the Landlord — Start for Boston — Another Vinegar 
Factory — Failure — ^Employed by the Boston Port Society as Mis- 
sionary — Start Seamen's Mission Eoom — Success — Letters — Final 
Eeport, etc. 

At Galesburg I found business rather 
dull, but being a *' Jack-at-all-trades" I 
went to painting on plain work, which I 
did very satisfactorily to my employers, for 
several months, but finally succeeded in 
getting an agency for selling fruit-trees for 
a large nursery. I now traveled, taking- 
orders for trees, in which I realized a 
handsome commission, and was fast pro- 
gressing toward comfort and fortune. 



A Sailor 's Experience. 217 

My large profits now induced me to 
work beyond my strength ; and conse- 
quently I was prostrated by a severe fit 
of sickness, and it was found that a tumor 
was growing in the lower part of my stom- 
ach. I had one regular physician who yis- 
ited me twice daily, with three others, 
who called occasionally, but none of them 
dared undertake the surgical operation nec- 
essary for the removal of the tumor. My 
case was given up by them as hopeless ; but, 
by my wife's direction, I was carefully re- 
moved to Chicago to see if anything could 
be done for me. 

I now sent for Dr. Edwin Powell, a res- 
ident of Chicago, and one of the most em- 
inent physicians in the United States. He 
came in company with three others, swell- 
ing the total number of doctors in attend- 
ance to no less than nine. Dr. Powell 



218 A Sailor's Experience. 

informed me that my distress was the re- 
sult of a tumor, which could only be re- 
moved by the knife, and the operation 
w^ould be attended with great danger ; and 
accordingly, if I had any business to settle, 
I had better do it that day, as he thought 
it nesessary to attend to my case the day 
following. This being my last hope for 
life, I consented; and the next morning 
the army of medical professors made their 
appearance, headed by Dr. Powell, who 
was of course, the chief operator. I arose 
from my bed, and placed myself upon a 
long table, while the nine professors gath- 
ered around me with their white aprons, 
glittering kniyes, and other instruments of 
steel, the sight of which did not terrify 
me, for I was happy in the Lord, and felt 
like praising him with my whole heart. 
Chloroform was now administered, and I 



A Sailor's Experience. 219 

became totally unconscious. Dr. Powell, 
having little faith in the success of his oper- 
ation, now offered a silent prayer to the 
Great Physician to aid him, and that he 
might be sustained by a steady hand and 
deliver me from my present affliction by 
removing the cause of my suffering. 

I remained unconscious during the op- 
eration, and for some time afterward ; and 
when I did survive, it was only for a few 
moments, for I was so exhausted from loss 
of blood and broken rest, that I soon fell 
asleep and found peace in a long and tran- 
quil slumber. 

For a few days I recovered rapidly, but 
was then afflicted with a gathering, which 
. formed in the abscess of the tumor, from 
which I suffered the most excruciating 
pain. In a few days it broke, at the same 
time causing the rupture of a blood-vessel. 



220 A Sailor's Experience. 

I was now considered entirely beyond all 
hope of recoyery. A telegraph dispatch 
was immediately sent to my parents ; Dr. 
Powell was again sent for, and now my 
tortures were to be increased by a red^ 
hot iron placed over the rupture of the 
yein, to singe, or crisp the flesh, and thus 
stop the flow of blood. Such treatment 
seemed cruel, but it proved successful, 
and I was pronounced out of danger. My 
father arrived soon after the operation was 
performed, flnding me in a critical con- 
dition ; but cares at home permitted him to 
remain with me but one day. 

Having been saved from death by a kind 
Providence, I once more returned, with 
my wife, to Galesburg, after an absence of 
three months spent on a bed of sickness. 
My expenses in Chicago were very heavy, 
and I was unable to perform labor of 



A Sailor's Experience. 221 

any kind for some time after my return 
home ; hence I had become Yery destitute ; 
but by the kindness of one, Mr. Davis, I 
succeeded in obtaining a loan of three 
hundred dollars, with which I purchased 
young grape-yines ; in the sale of these I 
soon realized a capital sufficient to build a 
house, into which I remoyed my family. 
The reader can imagine the gratitude of 
my heart for my restoration to health and 
the blessings of a comfortable home. 

I continued in the grape business dur- 
ing the autumn, and in the wintei' an 
agreement was entered into between a 
gentleman named Edoff, a Mr. Olson, and 
myself, to form a co-partnership and trans- 
plant a grape-yineyard on land belonging 
to Mr. Olson, which was situated in the 
suburbs of the town, and had been laid 
. out for building-lots. 



222 A Sailor's Experience. 

Mr. Ecloff and myself were to furnish the 
yines, for which we were each to receive 
one-third of the land, which was about 
seyen acres. Edoff being out of money, 
I furnished the yines, some fiye thousand, 
for which I paid upwards of fifty dollars 
per thousand, taking Edojff's word for four 
hundred dollars, which I receiyed a short 
time after. In this transaction I made one 
hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and had 
my share of the land for nothing. I was 
now prospering in business, and had I been 
economical, I might have amassed quite a 
little fortune. I was also elected in the 
spring to the office of Assistant City Mar- 
shal. But soon after I had assumed this 
responsible position, a difficulty arose in 
my family, and I resigned from office ; and 
to drown my embarrassment, I once more 
resorted to the wine-cup. After a brief 



A Sailor *s Experience. 223 

carousal at Peoria, some sixty miles dis- 
tant, I returned to my home, where I 
found everything as I had left it. 

I now made up my mind to establish 
a vinegar factory ; and following the ad- 
vice of a Mr. Neehouse, I mortgaged my 
property for about all it was worth, and 
entered into speculation, taking Neehouse 
as partner. I thus became quite deeply 
involved in debt, but by a little judicious 
management I might have surmounted 
my embarrassments, had my partner been 
a reliable man; but Neehouse proved to 
be a hard drinker, and soon began to neg- 
lect business, being careless in our mon- 
ey matters, while I was fast becoming 
disheartened at his conduct ; and finally, 
when I could endure his folly no longer, 
and being conscious that my business was 
rapidly failing, I became perfectly reckless. 



224 A Sailor's Experience. 

and resolved to forget my sorrows in in- 
toxication. I left my wife at home, and 
leaving Neehouse to settle the trouble he 
had caused, I went to New York. My 
wife remained in the house eight months, 
when it was sold at auction, and she re- 
turned to her parents. 

Once in New York, I regretted most 
bitterly the course I had taken. I found 
a sailor's boarding-house, and retired to 
bed, hoping to find some peace in sleep I 
But slumber came not to my eyes that 
night. My mind was nearly wrecked with 
broken resolves, embarrassments, and finan- 
cial ruin, which had so excited my nerv- 
ous system that I could not sleep. The 
next morning I drank deeply, and the 
landlord treated me as an especial favorite, 
promising to get me a berth as first 
mate on a vessel bound for California. I 



A Sailor 's Experience, 225 

was delighted with the idea, for since my 
failure at Galesburg it made but little 
difference with me where my lot was cast. 
But I soon learned that the landlord did 
not always keep his promises ; ofttimes 
making them to further his mercenary de- 
sires. 

A few days after my arrival in New 
York, a missionary came to the boarding- 
house. In answer to his question, I re- 
marked that I knew what it was to be a 
Christian, but that I was now a backslider. 
'* Well," said he, ''you are just the man I 
want ; " and he persuaded me to go with 
him to a prayer-meeting. As I entered 
the room, I obseryed that the leader of 
the meeting was an old sea-captain, and 
he no sooner saw me than he said, ''You 
are a backslider! " I could not deny his 
accusation, for every word seemed like a 



226 A Sailor's Experience. 

piercing arrow to my heart. I felt con- 
demned in the sight of God, and could find 
no words to deny my guilt before men ; 
and my anguish of mind increased, until 
I cried aloud to God for mercy. 

I left the meeting, but returned again 
in the evening, and listened attentively to 
all that was said, and hearkened to every 
prayer, but all seemed to me in vain, until 
an old man commenced to sing : — 

" Jesus, lover of mj soul, 
Let me to thj bosom fly ! " 

" What ! " said I to myself, '' does Jesus 
love me still ? " I rose to my feet, and 
commenced to tell what the Lord had 
done for me, and the tears started to the 
eyes of several while they listened. 

The meeting over, I had several invi- 
tations to go and remain with private fam- 
ilies until I could get a ship for California ; 



A Sailor's Experience. 227 

but I declined their kind offers, and re- 
turned to my boarding-house, feeling quite 
well in mind and body ; and immediately 
began to exhort the sailors in the bar-room 
to turn unto the Lord. The landlord now 
became angry at what he called my ** d — d 
foolishness," and threatened to put me out 
of doors if I did not stop it. I told him I 
felt that shouting did me good, and if I 
was a fool I could not help it. 

"Well," said he, " if you are bound to 
serve God, try and do it without so much 
noise ! " 

I made no reply to his insolence, but on 
the following morning after breakfast, I 
went into the bar-room and commenc- 
ed exhorting the sailors to abstain from 
drink, and seek pleasure in the loye of 
Jesus. The landlord now had my trunk 
carried down, and gaye me my carpet-bag. 



228 A Sailor's Experience. 

telling me to leaye his house, which or- 
der I reluctantly obeyed. Going to the 
depot I purchased a railway ticket for 
Boston. On my arrival I felt a strong de- 
sire to go to work as missionary among 
the seamen ; but making the acquaintance 
of a couple of gentlemen who had money 
to invest in business, I joined with them 
in starting a vinegar-factory, my services 
being required to aid in the construction 
of the work and putting the machinery 
in order, while I was to be recognized as 
partner of the firm. I considered myself 
remarkably fortunate in making these new 
acquaintances ; but in a short time busi- 
ness getting dull, my partners began to 
find fault with my way of manufacturing 
the article, so I withdrew from the firm at 
the. end of two months, feeling condemned 
for the course I had taken. 



A Sailor's Experience. 229 

I was now boarding at the Mariner's 
House, the same in which I had enjoyed 
such heavenly seasons of prayer some sev- 
en years previous, and which was still 
under the management of Bro. N. Ham- 
ilton, its . present Superintendent. Being 
out of employment, I did not know what 
to do with myself; for indolence was al- 
ways a barrier to my happiness, and I 
was becoming quite miserable. 

In a sad state of mind I went to my 
room, and kneeling to my Heavenly Fa- 
ther, I prayed that He would enlighten 
me as to the cause of such a feeling of con- 
demnation. In answer to my prayer I felt 
that I must go to work among the seamen. 
I reasoned with myself, making the excuse 
that I had no talents ; but I was reminded 
that it is not '* excellency of speech," that 
converts the sinner, but the power of God. 



230 A Sailor's Experience. 

I yielded to the direction of the Holy 
Spirit, and commenced to labor among the 
sailors, and one after another became con- 
verted, showing plainly to me that I was 
where the Lord wanted me. One day I 
met a brother in Christ who suggested to 
me that it would be well to open a Mis- 
sion-Room where we could hold meetings 
in different languages. I replied, that I 
had no money. ''But," said he, "the 
Lord has a plenty of it." 

Thinking the proposition a good one, I 
went to the pastor of the Seamen's Beth- 
el, Bro. George Noyes, who encouraged 
me, as did also Bro. Hamilton. 

Accordingly I rented a room of good 
dimensions in Suncourt street, underneath 
the Seamen's Bethel, or Father Taylor's 
Church, and it was dedicated to the Lord 
on the first day of March, 1869. 



A Sailor's Experience. 231 

At the first meeting held in this room, 
six seamen arose for prayer, giving ev- 
idence that the Lord endorsed the move- 
ment. 

The Mission-Room was now ready, but 
I was in debt for all the furniture, and 
had not even the means to pay my board. 
Not feeling disposed to live upon the 
charity of others, and having strong faith 
in the promises of God, I closed the doors . 
of the Mission-Room, and laid all my 
troubles in tearful supplication before the 
Lord. I prayed for temporal aid, that I 
might be enabled to pay my debts. My 
prayer was answei:ed. In a few days I re- 
ceived donations from the following per- 
sons, who were the first to assist me in 
the work : — Hon. Albert Fearing, $75 ; 
Rev. George Noyes, |30 ; N. Hamilton, 
125; Wm. Perkins, $10; Henry Pigeon, 



232 A Sailor *s Experience, 

$20; Swedish Consul, |10; William F. 
"Weld & Co. , $25 ; Mrs. Augustus Hem- 
ingway, $200 ; Boston Port Society, $50 ; 
and various smaller donations from other 
friends and seamen who were interested in 
the work, and desired to see men sayed. 
My debts were all canceled by the beney- 
olence of these Christian friends, w^hom I 
shall eyer hold in grateful remembrance 
for my success thus far, and I esteem them 
not only for their beneyolence and priyate 
friendship, but as co-workers in this yast 
field of Christian labor. 

I now felt an increasing desire to push 
the work forward. Preyious to receiying 
the aboye mentioned donations, I had 
many trials, and at one time was obliged to 
dispose of three suits of clothes tp obtain 
means of sustenance. But now, thank 
God ! I haye been deliyered from these 



A Sailor's Experience. 233 

troubles, and through the kindness of our 
honorable President, Mr. Fearing, of Bos- 
ton, I have been allotted a salary of one 
thousand dollars per year, to labor among 
the seamen as an independent missionary ; 
that is, to work for the conversion of sin- 
ners devoid of any creed or sectarianism 
whatever. As for myself, I belong to the 
Methodist society, and frequently attend 
that church ; but the Seamen's Mission and 
Reading-Room, in Suncourt street, Bos- 
ton, has only this for its creed : '' Salva- 
tion through our Lord and Savior, Jesus 
Christ ; " and all are welcome to visit this 
place, whether Christian or Pagan, foreign 
or native, white or colored ; for, as our 
Lord is "no respecter of persons," we 
wish to do good to all who will listen to 
and profit by the Word of God. 

Once established in my missionary labor. 



234 A Sailor's Experience. 

I began to feel anxious about my dear 
wife ; for she was as yet without Christ ; 
so I commenced to pray most earnestly 
for her speedy conyersion. One night, 
while praying for her, I felt that I would 
not cease my prayers until I had the assur- 
ance within my heart that she would be 
conyerted ; and while thus engaged, I was 
completely oyerpowered by the Spirit of 
God, and the conyiction was strongly im- 
pressed upon my mind that the Lord had 
blessed her, and that I should hear of her 
conyersion. A few days had passed, when 
I receiyed a letter stating that she had 
found the Pearl of Great Price and was 
rejoicing in her Sayior's loye. Her con- 
yersion, as I afterward learned, occurred 
on the yery night that I ceased my prayers 
with the conyiction that she had been 
blessed of God : thus reyealing in a most 



A Sailor's Experience. 235 

conyincing manner a dii'ect answer to my 
prayer. In a few weeks she came to Bos- 
ton, and we met as never before, both rich 
in the loye of God ! She is faithful to- 
day, and her heart is in the great work of 
laboring for the salvation of her fellow- 
creatures. 

Thus I met with encouragement on 
every hand, and the Lord blessed my la- 
bors abundantly. The first week after 
opening the Mission-Room, twelve Swed- 
ish sailors were converted to the Lord. 
One of the number came to me and said, 
" God bless you. Brother Esping, for start- 
ing this noble work. I have not heard a 
word preached in Swedish before, for fif- 
teen years ! " 

One day, while walking down North 
street, I saw a man standing on the oppo- 
site side of the street, whom I judged 



236 A Sailor's Experience. 

from his appearance to be a sailor. I 
crossed the street, and coming up to him 
invited him to go to prayer-meeting with 
me. He replied that he had no time, but 
was going somewhere to get a letter writ- 
ten ; a friend having promised to do it for 
him. I told him if he would go with me 
to meeting I would write his letter for 
him after the meeting adjourned. He 
followed me to the Mission-Room, and 
taking a seat, listened attentively to the 
Word of God. He became very much 
affected, and with his eyes filled with 
tears, requested those present to pray for 
him, and finally got down upon his knees 
and asked the Lord to forgive his sins ! 
Thus was this man blessed as the result of 
a simple act of kindness. In the evening 
he returned to the meeting, bringing two 
other sailors with him. One of them was 



A Sailor's Experience. 237 

conyerted during the eyening, and after- 
wards remarked to me that he had been 
absent from his family about four years, 
and had neyer sent any of his earnings 
home: "But, thank God!" said he, ** I 
haye found Jesus, and my wife shall reap 
the benefit of it ! " and he immediately 
forwarded one hundred and eighty dollars 
to his starying wife and children. This 
shows the power of religion. 

One man, a few days after his conyer- 
sion, went ofi* to sea. In a few months 
he returned to Boston, and coming direct- 
ly to the Mission, made our hearts glad by 
his testimony; saying that the Lord had 
been yery good to him during his recent 
yoyage ; he had been contented and hap- 
py; the old Atlantic did not appear so 
wild, nor fill him with fear as it once did ; 
and in conclusion remarked that he now 



238 A Sailor's Experience, 

had a good suit of clothes, something that 
he could never manage to get while in 
the service of Satan ; but now he could go 
home looking respectable, and praised God 
that he ever came to the little Mission- 
Room. This brother is an American sailor, 
and has been a true and faithful follower 
of Jesus ever since his conversion. 

At another time a Swedish sailor arose 
in our meeting and thanked the Lord that 
this Mission-Room had been opened, for 
he said, " It was here, in this little room, 
that I got acquainted with our blessed 
Jesus! May the Lord bless the leader, 
dear Brother Esping, for it was through 
his instrumentahty that I was brought 
from the rum-shop to learn and appreciate 
the promises and goodness of God. He 
was formerly a very intemperate man, but 
is now happy in serving the Lord. 



A Sailor's Experience. 239 

One afternoon a German sailor came 
into the meeting, and the Lord opened 
his understanding, showing him that he 
was drifting in the wrong channel. He 
seemed to feel sorry, but made no move 
to seek the Lord. In the ca ening, how^- 
ever, he returned to the meeting, and 
manifested a desire to serve the Lord by 
kneeling and praying earnestly that the 
Lord would give him grace to overcome 
his appetite for intoxicating drink. The 
Lord blessed him, and he wept like a child. 

The next morning he came into the 
Mission-Room, and on observing his cheer- 
ful looks I asked him how he felt. Rub- 
bing his hand across his forehead, he said, 
*' No headache this morning, sir ! " 

I learned that he was a boarder in a 
sailor's boarding-house, and accordingly I 
called at the place one day, and meeting 



240 A Sailor's Experience. 

the landlady in the sitting-room, I inquired 

after Brother , feeling anxious to know 

if he still held out, 

'*Well/' said she, "if you can conyert 
such a drunken sweep of a German as 
that man has been for the last few years, 
why, you can conyert anybody ! " 

I told her that the Lord could do won- 
drous things, and that He was the author 
of man's happiness. 

" Well," said she, " the fii'st time he 
went to your meeting, on his return home 
he went into the baggage-room, and stay- 
ed so long that I concluded to go and see 
what he was doing. On opening the door, 
I saw ""him on his knees by his chest, en- 
gaged in prayer. I was so astonished at 
the sight that I could scarcely belieye my 
own eyes ; but when he ceased, and shout- 
ed, "Glory to God!" I really belieyed 



A Sailor's Experience. 241 

that he was a conyerted man, and I rejoic- 
ed that it was so ; for now he is a quiet, 
peaceable man/' Here was another man- 
ifestation of the goodness of God ; and I 
praised him for showing this man the way 
of peace and happiness, and humbling him 
at the feet of Jesus. 

One day, while walking up North street 
gathering seamen for an afternoon prayer- 
meeting, I went into a low den of vice, 
where I found an intelligent-looking sail- 
or, sitting on a bench, who was evidently 
a little " under the weather," from liquor, 
and although in an upright position he was 
enjoying a heavy slumber. I approached, 
and gently touched him, and invited him 
to go with me to the meeting. 

He sprang to his feet and was about to 
strike me. I looked him directly in the 
face, and asked him what he meant to 



242 A Sailor's Experie?ice. 

do. " You know," said I, *' that this soul- 
killing poison that you are drinking will 
ruin you, body and soul ! " 

He now looked at me for a moment, 
and replied, 

** You seem to take such an interest in 
my welfare, let us sit down and have a lit- 
tle conversation/' 

I complied with his request, and he told 
me that he had once been a class-leader 
in England, but through tasting of wines 
at fashionable parties he had at last be- 
come a drunkard ; and consequently had 
brought disgrace upon his family and mis- 
ery upon himself. And now, he continued, 
*' If you can cure me of this miserable 
appetite for drink, I shall feel to owe you 
an eternal debt of gratitude/' I told him 
to come with me to the meeting, and the 
Lord would cure him! He went, and 



A Sailor 's Experience. 243 

strange to say, he was conyicted, and once 
more repented, the Lord receiying him 
again to his fold. 

The meeting oyer, he came to me with 
tears in his eyes, and said, *' I thank the 
Lord for your timely influence, Brother 
Esping, in rescuing me from eternal ruin ; 
for if you had left me when I was about 
to strike you, I should haye been yet in 
my sins." 

He shipped soon after for some foreign 
port, but he seemed to be so thoroughly 
conyerted, that I haye but little doubt 
that he continues a Christian to this day. 

One day, meeting a young German sail- 
or, I persuaded him to come with us to 
the meeting. At his request, prayer was 
offered for him, and he found the Lord 
precious to his soul, and arose and testifi- 
ed that he had a dear praying mother in 



244 A Sailor's Experience. 

Germany, whom he had deserted because 
she was always^ telling him what Jesus had 
done for sinners, *'and," said he, ** I haye 
not written a single word to her in ref- 
erence to my whereabouts for nearly eight 
years ; but. Glory to God, her prayers 
haye been answered at last ! I shall write 
to her to-day and tell her that I haye 
found Jesus!'' 

Such, dear reader, has been the testimo- 
ny of scores of seamen whose souls have 
been conyerted ; and the good Lord has 
blessed my labor abundantly, demonstrat- 
ing the fact that it is not excellency of 
speech, but the power of God, that con- 
yerts the sinner; and to His great name 
be all the glory. 

When I first commenced to labor as a' 
missionary, I was often ordered out of 
doors by landlords of grog-shops and other 



A Sailor's Experience. 245 

"waymarks to hell," simply because, as 
they said, I used to spoil their sailors ; and 
these apostles of Satan cared not though 
they destroyed thousands of human souls 
for the sake of filling their coffers. 

Oh, reader, whoeyer you are, beware of 
seeking after the riches of this world, for 
they are but snares that allure you, and 
may perhaps deprive you of happiness in 
the world to come. 

I had the pleasure of being the instru- 
ment in the hands of God, of conyerting 
six seamen, who were stopping at the same 
boarding-house, who were all conyicted at 
about the same time. Their boarding- 
master became so enraged at me for bring- 
ing them to Christ, that he was heard to 
say, that if he ever got hold of me, he 
would break my head, for ruining his cus- 
tom by making hypocrites of his boarders. 



246 A Sailor *s Experience, 

I was accordingly warned by a brother 
who comes to our meeting, to look out for 

the boarding -master, Mr. , " for," says 

the brother, "if he gets hold of you he 
may do you bodily injury." 

When I heard the brother's story I 
went at once to see this famous " blower," 
as the sailors would call him. As I was 
walking down North street I observed the 
individual in question coming up, on the 
same side of the street as myself ; but on 
seeing me he immediately crossed over to 
the opposite side, not even deigning to 
look at me. I let him pass at that time, 
but the following morning I went down to 
his house, and entering the bar-room, I 
found him standing in the middle of the 
floor. I walked up to him and said, 

'' What do you want to break my head 
for ? Have I done you any injury ? " 



A Sailor's Experience, 247 

'* Yes, you liaye," said he; *' you spoil 
all the sailors I get ; I cannot do anything 
with them after they haye been to your 
meetings once or twice ! " 

I replied that I wished I could spoil 
hiiii in the same way; **for you know, Mr. 
— ,'' said I, " that religion neyer ruins any 
man ; but it's that miserable soul-destroy- 
ing poison that you keep behind your bar 
that ruins thousands upon thousands of 
poor sailors ! " 

Without waiting for his reply, I took my 
departure, and rejoiced that God had giy- 
en me courage to speak to that man, who 
seemed to possess such an eyil disposition. 

The six sailors are still among God's 
children, faithful, honest, and industrious. 

One night, after I had closed the meet- 
ing, and locked the doors, when part- way 
home I thought of some papers that I 



248 A Sailor's Experience, 

had forgotten, and accordingly retraced 
my steps, accompanied by my wife and a 
Christian brother. 

As we neared the door of the Mission- 
Room, my wife saw a man standing near 
the door, who appeared to be weeping bit- 
terly. She desired me to speak to him, 
which I did, and asked what I could do 
for him. 

He replied, '' Pray for me." I opened 
the door of the Mission-Room, and invited 
him in, and we all knelt and prayed for 
the conversion of this poor wanderer. 
The Lord blessed him, and he is to-day 
a good Christian. This man, whenever he 
sees me will always exclaim : ** Hallelu- 
jah!'' He never comes to the Mission- 
Room without alluding to his conversion 
and giving a powerful testimony for the 
cause of Christ. 



A Sailor's Experience. 249 

One day I went into a saloon on Rich- 
mond street with some tracts given me by- 
Brother H. L. Hastings, from the Script- 
ural Tract Repository, and gave one, with 
the title, '' Swear not at all," to an old 
sailor there. He said, " Go to — ." He 
had been drinking, and his glass stood 
near him, but he took the tract, and I 
prayed for the blessing of God to attend it. 

A few days after, the man came into the 
Mission-Room and said, " Mr. Esping, that 
tract you gave me in the saloon in Rich- 
mond street has been the means of my 
conversion. I have sailed the ocean for 
forty-five years, and have been the terror 
of the ship in fighting, and, drinking and 
quarreling ; but now I am going to sea 
again, and I hope I shall be a missionary 
on board, telling what God has done for 
me/' He has since then sailed on another 



250 A Sailor's Experience, 

voyage, rejoicing in the Lord his Savior. 
Again, I went into a saloon on North 
street, and found a man there with a glass 
of rum in his hand. I gave him one of 
the same tracts, and said to him, " My 
friend, read this and study it, and it may 
cure you of drinking." A few days after, 
the same man came into the meeting and 
said with tears, '* Bro. Esping, when you 
saw me last, you saw me in that saloon on 
North street, drinking rum. You gave 
me that tract. After I had done drinking, 
I thought I would read it. I sat down 
and read it and felt miserable. I did not 
know what ailed me. In the evening, 
when I had gone to bed, something seem- 
ed to be whispering to me, ** You must 
be converted." I got out of bed, and fell 
on my knees, and said, '' If there is any- 
thing in religion I ' 11 have it ; " and the 



A Sailor 's Experience. 251 

Lord blessed me while I was on mv knees, 
and I feel determined from this time to 
serve the Lord. I have a praying mother 
down in Maine. I ran away from home 
five years ago, and never have written a 
letter to her, nor told her where I have 
teen : but now I'll go and tell my dear 
mother I have found Jesus. 

In these instances we see how great 
may be the results of our smallest efforts. 
Those tracts cost perhaps one mill apiece ; 
and it would seem to be a small matter for 
me to give a poor drunken saifor one of 
them with a word of advice. But each of 
those sailors may be the means of bringing 
manv others to seek an interest in Christ, 
who might otherwise have been drawn 
by their evil influences down to perdition. 

I have recorded the following account of 
conversions in the Seamen's Mission and 



252 A Sailor's Experience. 

Reading-Room : 65 Swedes, 18 Danes, 18 
Finlanders, 15 Norwegians, 1 Russian, 20 
Germans, 32 Americans, 8 Englishmen, 4 
Welshmen, 2 Irishmen, 5 Hollanders, 3 
Frenchmen, 1 East India Hindoo, 1 New 
Zealander, and 1 from St. Helena; with 
the addition of some eleven hundred sea- 
men and landsmen who have fix>m time to 
time requested prayer in our meetings.* 

Thus the Lord has been pleased to bless 
my humble efforts, and the work has pros- 
pered far beyond my expectations. My 
interest was never greater than now ; and 
I trust that when the great gathering- day 
shall come — when the sea shall give up its 
dead — when ''many shall come from the 
East, West, North, and South, and sit 



* This record was made on the first of January, 1870, or ten 
months after the opening of the Mission-Eoom : but at the time of 
the publishing of this book, some six months later, the number bad 
nearly doubled. 



A Sailor's Experience. 253 

down in* the Kingdom of God," — that 
there shall be a goodly number who will 
look back to the Seamen's Reading and 
Mission-Room in Boston as the place of 
their conversion. 

And I would say that the work of my 
life now is to bring men to Christ. I can 
look back upon my former career only 
with the deepest regrets, realizing how 
great is my debt of gratitude to Him who 
has brought me up " out of an horrible pit, 
out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon 
a rock, and established my goings; and 
hath put a new song in my mouth, even 
praise unto our God." 

And when I see sinners flocking to the 
Mission- Room and inquiring, '' What shall 
I do to be saved ? " and receive continual 
evidences of the steadfastness of those who 
have already started, I feel sometimes as 



254 A Sailo7''s Experience. 

did the Psalmist, when he said, '' Let every- 
thing that hath breath praise the Lord." 

And the kindly sympathy and words of 
encoui'agement from those who have assist- 
ed in this great work, and who from time 
to time are manifesting their interest in 
the cause, will never be forgotten. May 
they *' receive in this life an hundredfold, 
and in the Avorld to come life everlasting." 

Trusting in God and in the prayers of 
his people, I still continue in my Mission- 
Work. And to those who read these lines, 
who may yet be without hope, I would say, 
*' Behold the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sin of the world ; " and ever ex- 
tend the invitation, — '' Whosoever will, 
may come, and partake of the water of 
life freely." 

And while we live in an age of gospel 
light and liberty, an age of Missions, in 



A Sailor's Experience. 255 

which Bibles and religious books are scat- 
tered like autumn leayes, and the church 
of God seems to be awaking to the impor- 
tance of her work, in sending the good 
news to the heathen, and also in other 
missionary enterprises, I hope the interest 
for the conversion of sailors may be in- 
creased. For among this class there is 
great need for Christian labor. And how 
can it be otherwise ? Those whose homes 
are on the land, where the gospel is freely 
dispensed, and where they can attend the 
worship of God every Sabbath, realize but 
little of the heathenish ignorance which 
exists among those who know no resting- 
place but the wide ocean, where often on 
ship-board all days are alike, and the Sab- 
bath and sanctuary privileges seem to be 
forgotten. Many of them were born and 
trained in Christian families; but when 



256 A Sailor's Experience, 

once away from the influence of home, and 
constantly exposed to the society of the 
reckless and the yile, they soon forget God, 
and plunge deeply into sin; and during 
their short stay on shore, they will almost 
invariably seek places of evil and dens of 
dissipation, unless some kindly hand leads 
and encourages them in a difierent dii-ec- 
tion. 

But among many who are followers of 
the Master they seem to meet with little 
sympathy. The reason of this is because 
they are more usually foreigners, — often 
strangers in a strange land, — and to some 
who may be surrounded wdth the society 
of those who are more refined, perhaps 
they may not seem to belong to our com- 
mon brotherhood. And then again they 
are frequently so low and degraded that it 
is humbling to recognize them, and they 



A Sailor's Experience, 257 

are left as though they were akeady lost. 
But thank God, Jesus Christ came to seek 
and to save that which was lost ; and he 
calls upon all men to repent, and has com- 
passion upon all who are ignorant and out 
of the way. 

And sometimes when I consider upon 
the sad condition of those for whom my 
liveliest interests are awakened, and real- 
ize how vast is the field for labor among 
them, I am reminded of the words of the 
Savior : — ** Truly the harvest is plenteous, 
but the laborers are few ; '* and I trust that 
others, who may have a desire to see men 
saved, will do what they can for the en- 
lightenment and conversion of sea-faring 
men, and unite with me in the prayer that 
the Lord of the harvest will send forth 
laborers into this neglected portion of the 
harvest-field. 



L E T T E R S' 
FROM CONVEHTED SAILORS 

TO J. L. ES PING. 



I am constantly receiving letters from those who have been con* 
verted at the Mission-Koom, filled -with words of encouragement, 
and manifesting a determination on the part of the writers to con- 
tinue faithful unto the end. The following, taken from a large col- 
lection, may be of interest to my readers. 



Boston, MarcH Mth, 1869. 
Deae Bkother Esping: 

As you have requested me to write 
down the story of my finding Christ, I will endeavor 
to do so, to the best of my ability. I never cared 
anything about religion until I came to Boston, and 
not then, until last week I attended one of your 
Swedish meetings. I had several times during that 
day had a desire to get to the meeting in the even- 
ing, until night came, and then I did not care much 
about it. I thought it was a great trouble to get 
ready to go where I cared nothing about ; but again, 
a voice seemed to whisper to me, " Go." So starting 
up, I dressed and went to the meeting. Getting 
there, I sat and listened to the testimonies of several, 
but nothing seemed to move me until you began to 



2 Letters from Converted Sailors. 

speak. I sat and listened as one entranced as you 
told of tlie marvelous love of Jesus, and of his mercy, 
till I was convicted tliat I was a sinner, and liad need 
of his love, and my spirit cried within me, "Lord, be 
merciful to me a sinner." I stood up when you spoke 
to me, and after the meeting was over, I went on 
board my vessel, my heart torn by conflicting emo- 
tions ; but before I got there I had such a peaceful 
feeling come over me, such as I had not felt since I 
was a little child, and said my prayers at my father^s 
knee, for I cannot remember my mother. Andr I 
knew I had found the truth. And now I must beg 
of you and the rest of the brothers and sisters the 
benefit of your prayers to keep me in the way, while 
I am on the deep. I have a dear friend in England 
who has often told me she would pray that I might 
be brought to become a Christian, and her prayer 
has been answered, thanks be to God. And now I 
hope you will pray for me, and I will always do xhe 
same for you, and remain. 

Your brother in Christ, Eobekt Mountain. 



Nassau, March 24, 1869. 
Dear Beother Esping: 

I have Jesus with me wherever I go. 
I have found he is a good Friend upon the mighty 
deep. I can never repay you for what you did for 
me while I was in Boston. You were the means 
in the hands of God to show me that I was a great 
sinner, also that Christ died for me. The third night 
out from Boston, I thought it was the last I should 



Letters from Converted Sailors. 3 

live ; we had a heavy gale of wind ; every sail blew 
away, and as we laid on the maintopsail yard, we did 
not know the moment we should go down. Something 
whispered in my ear, and said, " Now is the accepted 
time, now is the day of salvation." I then made a 
firm resolution to live closer to my Savior. Those 
words kept ringing in my ear, " Now is the accepted 
time." 

Dear brother, I cannot tell you how the Lord is 
working in -my heart. I feel by the grace of God 
determined to prove faithful. I request your broth- 
ers and sisters to pray for me. I have been very 
much tried this passage. The night between the 19th 
and 20th, we ran ashore on a reef. It was an awful 
night, but I felt the Son of God was there, and he 
spoke consoling words to me. On the 23d we got 
the vessel off, and on the 24 th we arrived in Nassau. 
Here we shall have to get the vessel repaired. 

With a heart full of the love of Christ, I bring 
my letter to a close. Tell the seamen that " Now is 
the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salva- 
tion." From your brother in Christ, 

E. Johnston. 



Boston, April 15, 1869. 
My Dear Beother Esping : 

I feel thankful to my God 
and Heavenly Father, that you got me out from my 
boarding-house to your little Mission -Room, where I 
was brought to know my Savior. Oh, I praise God 
that I now feel that my sins are forgiven me. Dear 



4 Letters from Converted Sailors. 

brotlier, I will, by the grace of God, be faithful. 
Pray for me, that I may not be ashamed of Christ, 
my blessed Eedeemer, when I get on board ship. I 
hope to meet you in heaven. Oh, how glad my dear 
old mother will be when she hears that I have found 
Christ precious to my soul. She has been praying 
for me many years, but glory to God, her prayers 
have been answered at last. I will, by the grace of 
God, remain your faithful brother in Christ. 

Chaeles Johistsoit. 



[From a gentleman whose wife was converted in the Mission- 
Koom, and whom, for some time previous to his conversion, he 
bitterly opposed.] 

U. S. S. " Terror," Nantasket Eoads, ] 
March 12, 1870. j 

Brother Esping: 

It is with joy and pleasure that I 
write to tell you I have found the Savior. I do not 
only think so, but I know it, because I feel that He is 
with me. I must confess it has been a hard struggle • 
for me, yet I have conquered and defeated Satan, be- 
cause I have had our blessed Savior on my side. 

Yes, brother Esping, I have been led back to God. 
You have done your share towards it, and may God 
bless you for it. Yet give the largest share to her 
who is the partner of my life, my own true, devoted 
wife. Yes, brother Esping, when I was wavering, it 
was my wife who encouraged me ; it was she who 
prayed for me and turned my heart to our Heavenly 
Father, and his only beloved Son, Jesus Christ. 
Brother Esping, I will ask, as a favor from you, to 



Letters from Converted Sailors. 5 

be remembered in your prayer-meetings. Eemember 
what I have to contend with on board of a U. S. 
man-of-war, between men and my brother officers ; yet 
I will try and see if I cannot bring some poor soul 
back to God. 

I tell you, brother Esping, it makes me feel happy 
to kneel down in my state-room, when I feel lonesome 
in being separated from my beloved little family, and 
pray to our Heavenly Father for strength to sustain 
and help me. Oh, how different I feel! Well, I can- 
not describe my feelings at such a time ; all I can say 
about it is, I feel calm, resigned. I could meet a hun- 
dred deaths, if needful, without flinching. 

Well, brother Esping, I will say Good-bye. May 
our Heavenly Father grant you fruit, a thotisand. fold, 
from your labors. My prayers will attend you, that 
God will crown your work with success. 

Your brother in Christ Jesus, H. K. 



U. S. S. '' Terror, Norfolk, Ya. 
Brother Esping: 

When we arrived at Hampton 
Eoads, I found a letter from you, for which I am very 
thankful. It has given me new courage and strength 
to know that I am not forgotten by my brothers in 
Christ Jesus, our blessed Eedeemer, in their prayers 
to our Heavenly Father in that, to me, so dear little 
Mission-Room ; for it was there that I gave my heart 
to God ; it was there I found my Savior. May God 
bless that dear place, and you, brother Esping, and 



6 Letters from Converted Sailors. 

all wlio are connected with it, working in the Lord's 
cause. May our Heavenly Father crown all your la- 
bors with the greatest success, in enabling you to 
bring back to God many a sinner. I hope that many 
a poor sailor may find the Savior through you, broth- 
er Esping. If there is a class of people in the world 
who need reforming, that class is, as you well know, 
sailors. I pray fervently to God every night to hasten 
the time that His holy name may only be pronounced 
at sea with reverence and love. Tell all sailors who 
are thrown in your way, from me, that it is good to 
find the Savior and believe in the Bible. I feel like 
a different being. Why ? Because I believe in the 
Lord. He hears me when I pray to him, because I 
have given my heart to him who has suffered for us 
on the cross to redeem us from our sins. Glory be to 
God, he has opened my eyes, he has shown me the 
error of my ways. Oh, how I wish I could step in 
to your Mission-Room just for a few minutes, and tell 
you in words how I feel. My heart is so full of the 
glory of God, that it would take a good many pages 
to describe how my heart feels. I trust that the time 
is not far distant when I can come once more in your 
Mission -Eoom, and tell to you and many a familiar 
face how I feel and how hard the struggle has been 
for me to banish Satan out of my heart. But God 
did hear my humble prayer, and gave me strength to 
overthrow the influence of Satan, which he held over 
my heart, and I say , Glory be to God. 

Yes, brother, I have found the Savior, and I mean 
to stick to him ; let Satan howl about me, I will laugh 
at him, because I know the Lord has heard my prayer, 



Letters from Converted Sailors. 7 

and is witli me. It is no use for a person wlio wants 
to find the Savior, to keep backing and filling, per- 
haps even then under short sails. ISTo, let him go 
with all his sails set, and a strong breeze, to find the 
Savior, and steer a strait course, for the channel is 
narrow that leads to the port of everlasting life. I, 
for one, mean to steer the strait course, and I know 
that my wife will also steer for that blessed port. 
Eem ember, brother Esping, that it was she who 
brought me nearer to my Savior. May every man's 
wife use her gentle influence over her husband, and 
bring him to his Savior. 

Accept my thanks for your kindness, and be assured, 
you are not forgotten by me. Good bye. May our 
Heavenly Father bless and protect you and yours. 
Your brother in Christ, 

P. S. Brother Esping, a letter from my wife has 
just arrived. Again have T cause to thank you and 
your wife for your kindness towards my beloved wife- 
May God bless you for it. Now, brother Esping, I 
want you to send me some German tracts and a Ger- 
man Bible right off. Again has God given it in my 
power to save a lost sheep. I gave the German tracts 
you sent me to a young German, who, I could see, 
was deeply affected through them. I sent for him a 
few minutes ago, telling him that I was writing home, 
and if he wished, I would ask you to send me some 
more German tracts. He was very much affected, 
thanking me with tears in his eyes, and replied, '• Yes, 
sir, and a Bible, too, if you please." Glory be to God, 
for it Brother Esping^ I believe I shall do some 



8 - Letters from Converted Sailors. 

good yet on board here. May Grod grant it. Pray 
for me, brother Esping, that God may give me suc- 
cess in my undertaking. I feel happy to think that I 
have been enabled, by God, to show this young man 
his Savior. I encouraged him all in my power, and 
prayed for him. Once more, farewell, and remember 
me in your prayers. Be assured that you and yours 
are remembered in my prayers to our Heavenly 
Father. h. k. 



Callao, South America, May 5, 1869. 
My Dear Brother Esping : 

I must write to you 
and thank you for what you did for me while I was 
in Boston. The Lord has done a great deal for me, 
for I was dumb ; but the Lord cast the devil out. 
** And it came to pass when the devil was gone out, 
the dumb spake ; and the people wondered." And so 
it is with me ; I speak about the great love of God 
to sinners, and my shipmates wonder. The Lord has 
opened their hearts so that they treat me very kindly, 
praise the Lord. Bear brother, don't forget to pray 
for me, for it says in the Word of God that, " When 
the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh 
through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 
Then he saith, I will return into my house from 
whence I came out ; and when he is come, he findeth 
it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and 
taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked 
than himself, and they enter in and dwell there." But 



Letters from Converted Sailors. 9 

by the grace and aid of God, I will keep the devil 
out. 

We have had fine weather all the way ont to this 
place, through the goodness of the Lord toward ns. 
Brother, pray for me. 

From a brother in Christ, 

C. Pettekspon. 



Boston, March 13, 1869. 
Deae Beother Esping: 

I feel happy. O, glory to God. 
I have found peace with God through Christ. Oh, 
so happy I am. I had not heard a Swedish word 
in three years, and when you got me into your little 
Mission-Eoom, and I heard you speak about the love 
of Christ to sinners, it melted me right down. How 
happy my parents will be when they hear that I have 
found my Savior. Oh, my prayer is, that you will 
be sustained in your good work among seamen. 
Dear brother, the Lord Jesus will reward you for 
your labor. Don't give up, but keep on, and you 
shall reap if you faint not. Pray forme, that I may 
ever prove faithful. The Lord bless you. Your 
brother in Christ, Eeik Beundin. 



[This letter is from a ship's steward, who was converted in. the 
Mission-Koom.] 

New Yoek, , 1869. 

Deae Beothee Esping: 

I am very happy to have 
the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let yoa 
know that I am well. The Almighty is ever merci- 
ful to me, blessed be his holy name. We have had a 



10 Letters from Converted Sailors. 

pleasant voyage, fine weatlier, and, thanks to you, 
dear brother, plenty of good reading matter. 

I suppose you would like to know if I am still on 
tlie Lord's side. With, a clear conscience I can tell 
you, yes ; I feel like a new man since that Sunday ; 
how my conscience smote me that night in your 
prayer-meeting. I made a resolution such as I nev- 
er made before. Tell our good minister that I have 
kept my pledge so far ; and I know I shall always 
keep it, if I keep Jesus for my pilot. 

God bless you, and all those who are trying to do 
good for the sailor. 

Your brother in Christ, 

Peter Hansin. 



[From a native of New Zealand.] 

New Yoek, July 23d, 1869. 
Dear Friend: 

I take the pleasure of writing you 
these few lines, fulfilling my promise. I thank God 
with all my heart and soul for preserving my life so 
long, though I am only at the age of manhood. He 
has led me to see this country, and kept me in good 
health during the imprisonment I suffered on board 
of one of the U. S. men-of-war on my passage from 
Japan to Boston, and hardships I endured in the East 
Indies and China. Now I am a stranger in a foreign 
land, without any friends or parents, as an outcast in 
this world, trusting only in Jesus. He is always near 
me when I seek him by prayer. I feel like a differ- 
ent man since I visited your prayer-meeting. I do 



Letters from Converted Sailors. 11 

not wisli to be in a better place now than the House 
of God, and I am fully determined to be a follower 
of Jesus, wbo died on that accursed tree, laying bis 
life down to save sucb a sinner as I. Pray for me. 

W. M. 



i [From a young convert in San Francisco.] 

San Peancisco, August 20, 1869. 

Dear Brother Esping: 

I take my pen in band to 
write you a few words to let you know bow good tbe 
Lord bas been to us. 

We bave bad a splendid time in tbe forecastle. We 
have sung hymns out of those hymn-books you gave 
us ; and praise the Lord, we are holding fast to tbe 
Lord, and we are trusting in our Savior. 

Tbe Lord bless you for tbe books that we got from 
you ; they bave been of great interest to us. 

Give our love to tbe Congregational pastor, and 
the whole congregation, and ask them to pray for us. 

That little room we shall never forget. 
Your brother in the Lord, 

OSKAR StORMFELT. 



I would gladly publish more of these heartfelt epistles, but my 
Hmits forbid. It is cheering to know that the seed which has been 
so-wTi at the Mission-Eoom has fallen upon good ground ; and while 
I rejoice at receiving these tokens of remembrance, I think of the 
many poor fathers and mothers, some of whom for years had heard 
nothing from their wandering sons until after their conversion, and 
who perhaps had given them up for lost. For when a sailor be- 
comes converted, he begins to think of home and friends, and his 
first action usually is to tell of his salvation to those who are dear 



12 Letters from Converted Sailors. 

to Ms memory ; and when after a long period of suspense and anxi- 
ety, tlie loved ones at home hear from the absent one. learning of 
his safety and his hope for a better life, parents mnst feel to exclaim, 
— " This my son was dead and is ahve again, was lost and is found." 
Such instances are continually occurring as a result of sailors' re- 
ceiving a kind word, being presented with a tract, or being invited 
to the Mission-Eoom. 



NOTE. 

I have elsewhere mentioned the fact that I have gratuitously re- 
ceived from Bro. H. L. Hastings quantities of papers and tracts, 
which were the means of conversions among those to whom they 
were distributed. I can form but little idea of their value in dol- 
lars and cents, — probably hundreds of doUars, — but this is nothing 
compared to their worth as a means in the hands of God of the 
salvation of souls. May the Lord reward him for his earnest labors 
and liberal hand in spreading the gospel in such a way that many 
who otherwise would remain in darkness may freely receive it. 

Bro. Hastings is editor of The Cheistia^t, pubHshed at the Script- 
ural Tract Eepository, 19 Lindall St., where are constantly kept 
Bibles, Books and Tracts suitable for general distribution. Those 
interested in missionary work, on visiting Boston may find it well 
to give him a call. 

Julius L. Espinq. 



^^ 



:^^^ 



TEAOT 



'5o\*' TRACT CATATjOaiTE. 

TRACTS BY MAIL, 1200 PAGES FOR $1.00. 



Thirty-two Faae Tracts. — Infidel Testimony. Plain Truths. Tales of 
Trust, Nos. 1, 2, etc. Ebenezers, Nos. 1, 2, etc. The Guiding Hand, Nos. 1-10. Anec- 
dotes, Nos. 1-10. The Contrast ; Law and Gospel. Eishers of Men. The Work- 
man Not Ashamed. My Father's House. Enduring Glory. Counsel from a Throup. 
A Faithful Saying. Bethlehem, a Rhyme. The Church not in Darkness. The 
Three TT Grids. The Last Days. The Resurrection, (40 pp.) The Family Circle, etc. 

Sixteen -page Tracts. — Sarah; or I vrill Have Him. Adolphe Guavin. De 
Gruchy and De 'Carterett«. How Jesus Saves. Consecration. The Mighty Motive. 
Are we in debt ? Second Appearing of Jesus. A Sad Mistake. Epistles to Timo- 
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Help Those Women. Age of Murder. Thanksgiving Dinner. Christ the King. 

Eiffht-pafje Tracts, — Financial Failures. Jesus Christ's Money. A Widow 
Irdeed. Hold on to the Rope. A Blessed Child. The Orphan Girl. The Broken 
Snare. One More Unfortunate. The Foxir Eed-Quilts. What's the News ? Standing 
Alone. Coming Suddenly. This Same Jesus. The Tekoitish Nobility. lost, Lost ! 
Let Go, or the Life-Boat. What Shall We Do ? Sam, the Sailor. The New World. 
One who Found Mercy. A Brand from the Burning. The Jailer's Question. An 
Apostle's Religion. The Cross of Christ. 

Four-parje Tracts. — Life-Boat's Last Turn. A Thousand Guineas. A Sad, 
Sad Tale. The Fatal Race. Last Things. As the Lightning. To-morrow. The 
Midnight Warning. The Devil's Tax Liit. Three Things. The Reason of Faith. 
A Mother's Love. The Hidden Child. How it was Blotted Out. The Preacher's 
Prayer. Pray for the Sailor. A Passage in the Dark. The LaTmch. The Sowing Hand. 
Reading for Sailors. Sowing Wild Oats. Sold Cheap. Mess of Pottage. Don't be a Tool. 

Z,arge-j)rint Fotir-page Tracts. — The Good Master. Marks, Good and 
Bad. The Double Freedom. New Things. Tom and the Judge. I Feel Forehand- 
ed. Why Don't You Shout ? One Single Verse. Y'ou Can't Pray Now. Right in 
the Eye. Mad Presbyterians. Tell the Lord So. I Hope So. The Coachman. 
The Highland Piper. Sundown. The One Way. These Free Hands. Loving an 
Enemy. Saving Words. Healing Words. Guidance for the Enquirer. Remember. 
Can't Kill God. Watching and Praying. The Book. Your Slave Forever. ^V'a-hing 
the Mouth. Pleasant Words. Our Captain's Orders. Hold On. Queen's Photograph. 

Four-paffe Tracts hy llyle. — Vv'hat is Man? TVTiat is God? Pardon. 
Justification by Christ. Hast Thou Faith ? Dead or Alive. The First Step. 
Wh&t Are You Waiting For? Take AYaming. I Invite I'^ou. Useless Kinds of Re- 
ligion. Be Armed. Come and Rest. Encouragements to Pray. Thy Kingdom 
Come. ^Vhat is it to be Saved ? None but Christ. Death. Death-bed Evidences. 
A Christian. The Power of Christ. Are There Few ? Which Class ? The Gentle- 
ness of Christ. How Long Halt Ye? Do Not Linger. Backsliders. Prayer. 
Awake and Repent. Fast Asleep. How Do You Use Your Bible ? Is it Good to be 
Sure? There's a Good Time Coming. The True Church. 

Two-page Tracts. — Too Late. The Two Magnitudes. The Startling Cry. 
Signs of the Times. Go Work. Eiting the Bare Hook. Believing. Lean Hard. 
Look Out for a Thaw. The Gift of Continuance. What Then? ^YTiiter Than Snow. 
Twenty Solemn Facts. Living Oracles, No. 1. Song in the Night. I am His. 
ENVELOPE TRACTS, LEAFLETS, AND PICTURE TRACTS. 

Sixteen-pafje Traces.— Bethlehem. A Blessed Child. The Old, Old Story. 
Our Little Ones that Sleep. A Narrow Escape. The Children's Lord. New Year ,1868. 

FigJit-page Tracts. — Jesus at the Grave of Lazarus. My Friend. The Lit- 
tle Grave. The Consummation. The New Y'ear, 1839. 

Four-page Tracts. — Alone. A Toiling Saviour. The Lord's Poor. The 
Plain Way. Postscripts. Seeds of Thought. Say, Brother, Shall We Meet? Say, 
Sister, Shall We Meet? At the Sepulchre. An experience. "^Vatch. The Precious Blood. 

Children's Fotir-page Picture Tracts. — Th • Two Hearts. Trust in God. 
The Two Bibles. I Went to Pray. The Swearing Carter. The Gunner Boy. What a 
Boy Said. Robert the Sweep. The Top. Neddie and Me. In a Hurry. The Starved 
Dogs. My Master's In. The Bear's Paw. The Irish Boy's Copy. Poor Biddy. After 
Flowers. The Quarrel. The Princess' Gift. The Unwilling Heart. Dr. Smollett's 
Guinea. Christ's Miser. The Tract-Beg:ring Dog. A Cup of Cold Water. Donald 
the Pedlar. Don't Throw It. The Broken Saw. The Apple Tree. Samuel Ruther- 
ford. The Collier Boy. A Handsome Soul. Willie's New Boots. Harry's Sermon. 

Packets of Tracts, Cards, Leaflets, etc., at25c. ,50c., .SI, and $2. Free to thePoor. * 
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January, 1870.] Address H. L. Hastings, 19 Lindall St., Boston, Mass. \ 



The Signs of the Times ; or a glance at Christen- 

doinasitis. By H. L. Hastings. e-p.HQ. Cloth $1.00. Paper 50 cents. 

This is a book of arguments and facts, a statistical comment npon 
the prophecy, "In the last days perilons times shall come." — 2 Tim. iii. 
1.-9. It presents Christendom as it is, in all its infamous deformity and 
Bin, stripped of the disguises and false colorings which are often cast over 
its abominations. It discusses : 

The Age or Wealth. Statistics of gold production and coinage. 
Five fold increase of gold production in eighteen years. Heaping up of 
treasures for the last days. Covetousness and selfishness. 

The Crimes of Christendom. Slavery. Statistics of the cotton trade. 
Slave trade. Eighty rthree slave ships under the American Flag from Feb- 
ruary 1859 to July i860. British opressions in India. Thirty millions of 
people robbed of their lands. Idolatry sustained by <^he British. Jug- 

gemaut supported by British gold. The British Opmm Trade. The 
•pium War. One thousand Chinese murdered daily by British opium. 
The Coolie Trade. Fiftt thousajtd Chinese kidnapped and sold into bond 
age. One hundi-ed and sixteen vessels under " The Stars and Stripes " 
engaged in it. The Coolie Ship Waverly. Tales of horror, etc. 

The World's Progress. Progi-ession from Tadpoles to Philosophers ! 
Rum. Tobacco. Converted heathen ruined by the vices of civilization. 
Luxury, pride, blasphemy, thanklessness, disobedience to parents, etc. 

Without Natural Atfection. Child mm-der in England and Amer- 
ica. Criminal abortion in New England. Frightful statistics. Ten Thovy 
sand new horn infants taken from the public sewers of Paris in 1863. 
Foundling Hospitals of Europe. Twenty-five Thousand deserted children 
on the books of one hospital, etc., etc. 

Morals op Christendom. Immoral practices. Immoral books, tu- 
moral diseases. Statistics of every nation in Christendom. Hospital re- 
ports. Police records. " Free love." Divorce. Licentiousness. Stock- 
holm — nearly half the bhths illegitimate. Paris — one third illegiti- 
mate. Statistics of Prostitution. Fifty thousand harlots in Londoa, 
Fom* hundred thousand in Great Britain, Six thousand in New York. 
Morals in Southern states, etc., etc. 

Cruelties of Christendom. Wars of past ages. Vain prophecies 
of peace. Statistics of the armies and navies of eveiy nation in Christ- 
endom. Weapons of war. Preparations for strife. Atrocities of 
" Christian nations." The duty of Christians in the present crisis. The 
coming struggle. 

The Ungodliness op Christendom. Pride, high-mindedness and 
rashness, vanity, formality, hypocrisy, presumption, pleasure loving, 
scepticism, scoflang, blasphemv, magic, witch-craft, and coming wrath. 

The Prospect. Wars, Judgments, The Day of God. The King of 
Glory. The Coming Kingdom. The New Earth. The Eternal Home. 
Conclusion. 

" I have been much impressed by the fearless truth, the honest bold- 
ness, and the forcible eloquence of the whole argument, as well as by 
ihe large and valuable collection of statistic information by which it is 
sustained."— Et. Rev. J. H. Hopkins, D.D., Episcopal Bishop of Vt. 
Address all orders to H. L. HASTINGS, Boston, Mass. 



AN IMPOETANT BOOK. 



A. 0111'ric.A.r. 

GREEK AND ENGLISH CONCORDANCE 

OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 



The " Critical Greek and English Concordance of the New 
Testament " differs materially from all other concordances, and grew out 
of the personal needs and desires of the publisher, whose plan has been 
enlarged and improved by the suggestions of persons accomplished in the 
departments of Sacred Literature and Biblical Criticism. The Concordance 
contains 

I. References to all places where each Greek word contamed in the 
New Testament may be found, a few constantly occurring particles excepted. 

II. All the English words and phrases by which these Greek words 
are rendered in the common version. 

III. All the various readings of the four best editions of tbe Greek 
New Testament, — those of Griesbach, Lachmann, Tischendorf, and 
Tregelles, — and also of the Sinaitic Manuscript, in all places where 
either of these editions differs from the received text. 

IV. An Index of English "Words, by means of which persons entirely 
unacquainted with the Greek language can find the original for any English 
word in any passage, and can trace and ascertain its usage and the manner 
of its translation throughout the entire New Testament, and also any various 
readings in these four critical editions. 

It is prepared to supply the existing demand for a Greek concordance so 
critical that it will present the latest results of sound textual investigation; 
so thorough *hat the most learned will find it adapted to their necessities ; 
so simple that the mere English student can use it with facility ; so cheap 
that the multiti^ide may obtain it ; and so compact and portable that it may 
Oe made a const/^nt companion of the traveller, the student, and the evangelist. 

The execution of the plan was confided to the skilled and competent hands of the 
late Prof. C. P. Hudson; and the final revision has been performed by the learned 
and accurate Ezra Abbott, LL.D., of Harvard College, whose counsel and assistance 
havfi been freely bestowed from the beginning, and whose name is a sufficient guaran- 
ty for the scholarly accuracy of the work. 

JPrice in cloth, $2.50 ; leather, $8; morocco, $5. 

pi'-ect all orders, witn the money, to the publisher, 

Scrip It -ryT Tract Repository, 

No. IS LiNUALL Street, 

ROSTOlSr, Mass. 



SCEIPTURAL TEACT REPOSITORY 

BOOK CATALOGUE. 
'the voice op the church on the Coming and Kingdom of the Re-^ 

deemer, or a History of the Doctrine of the Reign of Christ on Earth ; showing thai' 
the doctrine of Christ's personal reign has been the faith of the Church in its earli- 
est and purest ages, while the doctrine of a spiritual millenium is a recent andl 
unauthorized invention ; comprising about seven hundeed extracts quoted fromf 
the writings of more than three hundred of the most noted Rabbins, Fathers,' 
Preachers, Reformers, Poets, Historians, Theologians, and Writers, that have hved( 
during the last two thousand years ; thus allowing each person to bear his testimony/ 
IN HIS OWN words ; accompanied by brief biographical notices of the authors quoted.' 
By D. T. Taylor. Edited and prefaced by H. L. Hastings, pp. 416. Cloth, $1.00. 

[THE SiaNS OP THE TIMES ; or, a (rlance at Christendom as it is : a 

book of Statistics, Arguments, and facts, by H.L.Hastings, pp. 416. Cloth, $1. 
It presents Christendom in its true colors, stripped of the disguises which veil its 
abominations, giving statistics of its wealth, progress, covetousness, immoralities, 
crimes, cruelties, and iniquities, and points out the coming doom of this world, and! 
the approaching glory of the Church of God. 

iTHESSALONICA : or, The Model Church ; a Sketch of Primitive Chris- 
tianity as contrasted with the sectarianism of the present day : jReasons for JKyX 
Hope; or. The Tokens of Approaching Redemption, presenting Expositions of| 
Prophecy, Statistics of Religious Progress, Bible and Tract Societies, etc., by H. L. 
Hastings ; and Spiritualism a Satanic Delusion, and a Sign of The Times; 
a Scriptural Exposure of this monster error, showing that the ' Spiritual Manifesta- 
tions' are identical with the necromancy of ancient Canaan, the sorcery of thsl 
Greeks and Romans, the possessions of the New Testament and the abominationsf 
seen by the author while a missionary to India. By Wm. Ramsey, D. D. Cloth, $1, 

THE GREAT CONTROVERSY between God and Man ; its Origin, Prog- 
ress and End ; — an outline of the world's career as presented in History and Proph-f 
ecy, from the beginning of man's course of sin and rebellion, on through all the 
dispensations of judgment and mercy which have marked the successive ages, untill 
the strife shall be concluded by the personal manifestation of the Judge of quickf 
and dead, and Christ shall reign, and God be all in all ; with various tracts on pro- 
phetical and practical subjects : by H. L. Hastings. Cloth, $1.00. 

REASONS POR MY HOPE ; or, the Tokens of speedy Redemption : byi 

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SOCIAL HYMNS ; original and selected ; by H. L. Hastings. A new! 

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adapted for special and out-door services, and for public and social worship, 
Extra cloth 40c., $4 per doz., flexible cloth SOc, $3 per doz., paper 20c., $2 per doz 

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THE PROSPECT ; or, The Anticipations of the Church. The concluding! 

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GOD'S WAY OP PEACE ; A Book for the Anxious. By Horatius Bonar,, 

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INFIDEL TESTIMONY Concerning the Truth of the Bible ; Containing( 

more than one hundred and seventy prophecies which are proved to have been ful-[ 
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confirmed by one hundred and fifty extracts from the writings of other historians( 
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THE BOOK OP REVELATION, Translated from the Ancient Greek Text 

so that there is not a single word that is not guaranteed by manuscript authorityl 
of twelve or fourteen hundred years old. By S. P. Treggelles, LL. D. Paper, 10c, 

,THE CHRISTIAN ; a large monthly paper, 60 cts. a year; 10 copies $5. 

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